Fountain Park stage monument to be dedicated Friday

RED OAK - A longtime Red Oak educator and community bandleader will be honored during opening ceremonies of the 2012 Junction Days.

The Richard Simpson bandstand, located inside the Red Oak Fountain Square park, was dedicated several years ago, but a monument to the former teacher has now been added and will be dedicated Friday night.

Simpson taught in Red Oak from 1941-1980, and his bands received #1 ratings at state 26 consecutive years.

He was also past president of the Iowa Band Masters, judged many band contests and enjoyed theater productions and the fine arts. During the evening for several years, he directed a community band in  Stanton.

Organizers will include speakers at the event and his daughter is also expected to attend.

In addition to the featured speakers, a small community band under the direction of John Hewitt will perform.

“When I heard we were going to dedicate a monument to Mr. Simpson at Junction Days, I thought we had to have a band perform,” Hewitt said. The director of the Red Oak Middle School Bands the last 10 years, Hewitt renamed the Red Oak middle school band festival after Simpson four years ago.

Dedication ceremonies are expected to start at 6 p.m. at the bandstand in Fountain Square Park.  

The bandstand was named after Simpson in September, 2006, following his death in Red Oak but no formal ceremony took place at that time.

After the renaming, a committee formed to raise about $3,600 for the purchase of the monument.