"Catherine Simpson, a lifelong resident of Wakefield, was the daughter of Albert F. and Mary (Gahan) Simpson. A 1930 graduate of Wakefield High School, Miss Simpson was also a graduate of Bryant & Stratton Business School in 1931, completing a two year course in one year. An active member of the community, Miss Simpson was a member of the Board of Selectmen for 7 years, from 1952 until 1959, and was the first woman in over 20 years to be elected to the Board. She also served as Tax Collector from 1960 to 1971. She was the first woman to serve as President of the Middlesex County Selectmen's Association, and was the first woman in the state to head such a county organization. She continued to remain active in county and state Selectmen's Associations after becoming Tax Collector. Miss Simpson was a founding member and officer of the Wakefield's Citizens' Scholarship Foundation and was Vice-President of the Citizens' Scholarship Foundation of America. She was also a founding member of the Wakefield Business and Professional Women's Club and served as President in 1951. Her other activities included offices in the Col. James Hartshorne House Association, the Catholic Club, Director of the Wakefield Safety Council, Co-chairman of the March of Dimes and Chairman of the Arthritis and Rheumatism Foundation. Miss Simpson died suddenly in February, 1971 at the age of 58." -- Text from calendar by Jayne M. D'Onofrio. Image from the Wakefield Municipal Gas and Light Department annual calendar, 1990 Photo courtesy of the Wakefield Daily Item.
