The Supreme Knight, Sir Kt Bro Ernest Amoako-Arhen yesterday led a high powered Marshallan delegation to the pre-burial Mass of Sir Kt Bro Lt. Col. Maxwell Patrick Simpe-Asante, at the Mary Mother of Good Counsel Catholic Church, Airport West.
The late Sir Kt Bro Simpe was initiated into Council 10 Accra, in 1985, and served in various capacities prior to relocating to the United Kingdom, where he was a foundation member of Council 62 London in 1995.
He was also instrumental in the consecration of Councils 87 and 90 in London in 2005 and 2007 respectively.
Sir Kt Bro Simpe-Asante was a Reader and Lecturer of Council 87 and served as the Chairman of the Charity Committee of the Council, during which he led the Marshallans in organising a very successful first ever charity dinner/dance in aid of the Ghana Catholic Chaplaincy, which was then struggling for survival.
In a tribute, Council 87 described the Sir Kt Brother as a true Marshallan Knight who was bold and fearless. Moreover, he was strict but showed tolerance for the shortcomings of others.
Back in Accra, Sir Kt Bro Col Simpe-Asante was a foundation member of Council 115 Airport West.
He was also instrumental in the acquisition of the land for the Mary Mother of Good Counsel Catholic Church.
The Parish Priest of the church, Very Rev. Fr David Arko Amissah, in his homily, described the late Sir Kt Brother as a man who had great faith and developed a personal relationship with his Maker.
With the Supreme Knight were Sir Kt Brothers Ekow Paintsil, Anthony Kemavor, Past Substantive Supreme Knights, Sir Kt Bro Nana Hayfron, a Past Regional Grand Knight of London, and the Deputy Supreme Knight, Worthy Brother Ambrose Yennah.
Also present were the Grand Knight of Council 115 and Noble Lady of Court 110 Airport West, Bro Roland Banson and Sister Paula Asiedu Frimpong.
Career
Sir Kt Bro Simpe-Asante served as a Special Assistant to General Kutu Acheampong and Commissioner of Sports in the 1970s.
In his professional career, Lt. Col. Simpe-Asante started out teaching Physical Education at the Roman Catholic School of Adoagyiri, Nsawam in 1957. He followed this by teaching Physical Education at Mount Mary Teacher Training College in Somanya, and also the Specialist Training College in Winneba.
He was commissioned into the Ghana Army as a Staff Officer in October 1965, after having attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst, in Camberley, England. His specialisation was Physical Training, Games and Sports in the Ghana Armed Forces.
In July 1966, he was joined in Holy Matrimony to Beatrice Alberta Simpe-Asante (née Viala), at St Catherine’s Roman Catholic Church, in Burma Camp. Between the years of 1967 and 1974, Uncle Maxie and Auntie Bea, as they were both warmly known, were blessed with three children – Patrick Maxwell Jnr, Gregory Albert and their beloved daughter, Estelle.
In 1968, Colonel was appointed the Deputy Director General of Physical Training, Ministry of Defence, in Burma Camp. He held this position until 1974, when he was promoted to become the Special Assistant to the Commissioner for Sports, in the Sports Division of the Supreme Military Council, State House. The Commissioner for Sports at the time, was the then Head of State, General I.K. Acheampong.
From 1965 to 1978, Colonel was appointed Chairman of the Ghana Amateur Athletic Association,Chairman of the Ghana National Playing Fields board, and also President of the Ghana National Olympic Committee. In 1975, he led the Ghanaian delegation to the WBC World Featherweight Boxing Tournament in Los Angeles USA, between Ghana’s D.K. Poison and Ruben Olivares. D.K. Poison won the fight on points, to become Ghana’s first World Boxing Champion.
In 1975, Colonel was awarded the Grand Medal, Military Division, for Meritorious Services to Sports in Ghana.
In 1978, Ghana hosted the 11th African Cup of Nations in Accra and Kumasi. Lt Col Simpe-Asante as appointed the Chairman of the Planning and Organising Committee for the football tournament. With the games looming and national pride at stake, he and his team project-managed the building and renovation of the two major national stadia in time for the opening ceremony of the games on
Sunday March 5, 1978. Under his direction and leadership, the national football team, the Ghana Black Stars, went on to win African Cup of Nations trophy for the third time in the history of Ghana, by beating The Cranes of Uganda, 2-0.
Passion for farming
Colonel had a great passion for gardening and farming. Whether through the multitude of plants and vegetables he grew, to the fish pond that he designed and installed at home, he loved cultivating and growing things. In their early years together, Uncle Max and Auntie Bea also run a successful poultry farm. Later, in 1984, he turned his attention to managing his pineapple and palm nut farm at Nsawam.
In 1985, he was initiated as a member in the Noble Order of Knights and Ladies of Marshall, Council
10, Accra where he served in multiple positions within the Noble Order. In 1990, at the age of 58, he returned to studying part-time, enrolling in the Institute of Education at the University of London, where he completed a Bachelor of Education degree course. He followed this by further attending a two-year Master of Arts post-graduate course in Religious Studies and Education Management, also at the University of London at the age of 60.
During this period, he also held fulltime tutoring positions at Dick Sheppard Comprehensive School as well as Archbishop Michael Ramsey School in London, where he taught Physical Education and Religious Studies. In 1995, he was appointed Head of Department in Religious Studies at Archbishop Michael Ramsey, a position he held until 2005, when he retired from teaching
Award
In 2003, Lt. Col. Simpe-Asante was presented with the Ohene-Djan Memorial Lectures Award, for Services to Sports Development in Ghana. “In July of that same year, Colonel lost his beloved wife,
Auntie Bea, as she was affectionately known.”
From 2004 to 2008, he dedicated his time to the Ghana Catholic Chaplaincy in London, as Youth Co-ordinator as well as Treasurer. He also served as Reader/Lecturer at Council 87 of the Noble Order of Knights and Ladies of Marshall, in London.
From 2011 to 2012, he served as the Chairman of the Protocol Committee, in Council 87 of theNoble Order of Knights and Ladies of Marshall. Lt. Col. Maxwell Patrick Simpe-Asante, was a devoted husband, father and brother. He was resourceful, hard-working, and always spoke his mind.
Story and pictures by Worthy Brother Emmanuel Vorgbe and Sister Cynthia Prah, Deputy Noble Lady, Court 110