Ezra Martin LeBlanc Simpson

PORTLAND – Ezra Martin LeBlanc Simpson, beloved son and brother, died quietly in his home on Oct.16, 2019.

Ezra was born in Portland on Feb. 22, 1984, the fourth son of Nancy Simpson and Vaughn LeBlanc. He was the grandson of Clarence and Lillian (Blake) Simpson, late of Stockton Springs, Maine. He attended schools in Portland, Pownal and Falmouth and was a 2005 graduate of the University of New England.

He enjoyed a 15-year career as a registered nurse. Always a lifelong learner and an amateur woodworker, he changed careers in 2019, and was proud to join the United Brotherhood of Carpenters as an apprentice. As excited as he was by the prospect of learning a new trade, for Ezra it was always the people he worked with that meant the most to him.

Outside of his work life, Ezra had an ever-expanding repertoire of interests and hobbies including cooking, fishing, jewelry design, watercolor, and boating. He was fluent in several languages and loved to travel, visiting France, Australia and New Orleans among other places. A self-directed learner, he taught himself to play the piano and the baby grand in his living room was the centerpiece of his home and an anchor in his life.

Brilliant, pragmatic, and stubborn, Ezra was uncompromising in his generosity and acceptance of nearly everyone he met. He had an uncanny ability to empathize and communicate with people. Making people feel welcome was his gift. He is sadly missed by all of his friends and family. In addition to his parents, he is survived by his brothers, Ivan Leblanc-Simpson of Weymouth, Massachusetts, Amos Leblanc and his wife, Esther Ahn, of Brooklyn, New York, Ely Simpson and Logan Simpson, both of Portland, Maine; and his sister, India Lillian Sprague, also of Portland.

Ezra’s friends are encouraged to share their memories and stories of his life online at www.advantageportland.com.