Olive P. Simpson never took her life for granted. She lived every day of the last century to its fullest, achieving goals that many of us would never dream of attempting. Even during her 80s and 90s, the Portland resident would sign on for an adventure that took her to foreign places such as Australia, Africa and China. She celebrated her 95th birthday by taking a cruise ship excursion to Antarctica. Crew members bundled her up in warm clothing and put her in a Zodiac raft. "She claimed to have been the first person with a walker to set foot on Antarctica," said her great-nephew, Duane Perry of Gladwyne, Pa. "It's true," added Jay Gerrish, operations manager of The Park Danforth, the independent living facility in Portland where Mrs. Simpson had lived for 20 years. "She stood on an iceberg with a penguin. "Mrs. Simpson died Tuesday, July 29 – two months shy of what would have been her 101st birthday.Mrs. Simpson grew up on a farm in South Carolina, the sixth of 13 children. Perry, her great-nephew, said she left her native South Carolina when she was in her 20s to work for the Grenfell Mission, a medical and religious mission designed to help low-income families in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He said that decision took both courage and a sense of adventure that lasted through the rest of her life."It really showed me the spirit she had for helping others and for teaching people," Perry said.  Mrs. Simpson graduated from Boston University, where she established a scholarship fund for future teachers. During her lifetime, she taught at schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Nevada and New York. Her connections to Maine began to form after she married John B. Simpson in 1954 at the Kate Douglas Wiggins Church in Buxton. Though they lived in Old Chatham, N.Y., for a number of years, the couple always had talked about retiring to Maine. After her husband died, Mrs. Simpson moved to 75 State St., a retirement facility in Portland."Coming to Maine alone was difficult, but my fears were foolish," Mrs. Simpson once wrote in a brief autobiographical essay she wrote for her 100th birthday celebration. "She took all of us out (to dinner) for her 100th birthday and she gave us a scroll that described her life in great detail," said Marge Elder, a receptionist at The Park Danforth. "She was one incredible woman." Services will be held August 27th at 3pm at the Canaan Cemetery.  Arrangements are under the supervision of the French, Gifford, Preiter & Blasl funeral home. For directions or to send an online condolence visit www.frenchblasl.com