Marja-Liisa (Maisa) Tuominen Simpson

Marja-Liisa (Maisa) Simpson, 83, of Orem, passed away peacefully in the presence of her loved ones on Saturday, September 20, 2025. She was born March 7, 1942, in Tampere, Finland, to Lauri Arvid Tuominen and Aune Mirjam Tuominen. She married Ronald West Simpson on August 28, 1965, in the Oakland LDS Temple.

Maisa was a vivacious, sharp, and loving individual with Finnish “sisu” to spare. She grew up in the coastal town of Pori and took to the piano early, which developed alongside her quick wit. In 1965, she married a Finnish missionary from California named Ron, who brought her to the States before she could finish her studies at the Sibelius Academy of Music.

From 1967 to the rest of her days, Maisa lived in Utah with Ron, a musician with a multi-faceted career in business and academia. She supported Ron's career as the bookkeeper for his business and was his companion on performance tours with the BYU Young Ambassadors and Living Legends, visiting over 30 countries throughout the world. She worked for many decades as a beloved piano instructor. Maisa loved to teach and lived for seeing her students make progress.

Maisa was an avid reader in English, Finnish, and Swedish, and not a day went by that she didn’t chisel away at a Finnish crossword puzzle or dip into a mystery novel. (She would customarily figure out, before it ended, who had done it).

She was a faithful member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served with the Relief Society, Young Women, and the Primary organizations. She was also the accompanist for the ward choir, teaming up with her husband Ron, who conducted. These callings brought her fulfillment, and she always made a lasting impression.

Maisa is survived by her sister Sisko Sherman, and also by her daughter Kristen (Mark) Evans of Helsinki, Finland, her son Kim Simpson of Austin, Texas, and her son Kendall (Erlynne) Simpson of Mapleton, Utah. A total of 12 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren knew her as “Mummu” with great affection during her lifetime.

A viewing for family and friends will be held on Thursday, September 25, 2025, from 6-8 p.m. at Wheeler-Sundberg Funeral Home, 495 South State Street in Orem. Funeral services will be Friday, September 26, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at the Hillcrest 8th Ward LDS Chapel, 1035 South 800 East in Orem, with a viewing held that morning from 9:30-10:30 a.m. at the church prior to the services. Interment will be in the Eastlawn Memorial Hills Cemetery, 4800 North Timpview Drive (650 East), Provo, Utah.

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