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Highlands Today

Lake Denton Woman Honored By TB Bucs

A Special Mother’s Day

Courtesy photo

Ronda Simpson visited 1 Buccaneer Place and saw the Super Bowl trophy and statues of the winning players.

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By Gary Pinnell | Highlands Today

Published: May 10, 2008

AVON PARK — Almost as a lark, Dave Simpson entered his wife's name in a Mother's Day contest.

"I went online, and wrote a 250-word essay," he said.

And a few days later, he received a phone call. She was one of the 25 winners of the annual Best Moms of the Bay contest, and she was invited to dinner with two of Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

"She was one of 600 entries submitted," said Simpson, a former Army captain who is now an JROTC instructor. Ronda formerly installed and maintained computers for Highlands County schools, but in the past few years she's been the stay-at-home mom of three children and a stepson.

"I didn't believe it," said Ronda Simpson. So she pressed *69 on the phone. "The lady said it's true. It was a total surprise to me."

Yeah, well, not to her husband and children.

"When I had a problem, I would just go outside and sit on my (vehicle) tailgate and think," said Jason Tomblin, now 24, and her oldest son. A sergeant in the National Guard, he recently completed officer training and was commissioned a second lieutenant.

"She'd see me out there, and she'd come sit with me. When I was in boot camp, I'd called her, and I told her that I missed those tailgate talks."

1 Buccaneer Place

In Tampa, they ate in the team dining room with Shelton Quarles, a former linebacker who played on the 2002 Super Bowl championship team, and Ryan Nece, a current linebacker.

"My wife had to take a picture of the food and the table for Johnathan, because he loves to cook," Dave Simpson said. "Ronda had to take a picture of the workout routines of the players for Jason, because he is into weightlifting."

She also went to the lockers of her favorite players, Jeff Garcia and Cadillac Williams, to be photographed.

"Ryan Nece told us they could bring up any game and any play for the last seven years," Dave Simpson said. "They could also bring up a separate play or player and see what and how they reacted to a certain play. It was state of the art."

The Incredible Mom

Ronda Simpson, 43, is one of those mothers who will talk about any subject with her children: girls, the Army, cheerleading, volleyball, FFA. Her youngest daughter, Jenna Tomblin, 14, is involved in the latter two activities at Avon Park Middle School. Jessie Tomblin, 17, is a cheerleader and an honor student at Avon Park High School. Johnathan Simpson, 23, has returned from Afghanistan and is now stationed at Fort Gordon, Ga.

"She's a great listener," Jenna said.

And a great shouter as well, Jason added. The first time he wrestled in high school, he could hear her voice above everyone else's in the crowd.

"Holy crap," he smiled, as he remembered his thoughts 10 years ago. "Mom, you're too loud. I didn't know she could get that loud."

"Every game you play, she's right there, in the stands, yelling," confirmed Jenna.

"She pushes us to the next level," Jason said, making sure it was understood that pushing was a good thing. "She helped me to stay motivated."

"She is a proud woman who keeps her son's spirits up during times of hardship and being away from home," said Dave Simpson. "She always has time to get kids to all their practices, games and meetings while maintaining a home. She volunteers at the schools and chaperones events. She is an incredible mom."

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