Our merciful Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, opened his arms and welcomed Elmer Udell Sims, 93 years old, to his heavenly home on November 12, 2020.
Elmer, known to his family and friends as “EL,” was born in the Bogue Ealiah Creek area of Jasper County on January 5, 1927, to Collis and Virgie Sims. He attended various Jasper County schools including Claiborne, Heidelberg, Stringer and Bay Springs. Like so many young men, El stepped up to serve his country in WWII. He was a United States Navy Veteran having served in the Pacific Campaign in 1945-1946 on the USS American Legion, a naval troop carrier.
After returning from the war, El met and married his lasting love of 68 years, Virginia Louise Yelverton on September 14, 1947. Family was important to El, and he was very involved in the lives of his children, June and Stan. He never missed a recital, a sporting event or church. He enjoyed travel on any mode of transportation whether it was driving cross country, flying through the skies or cruising through Alaska. He just liked to have fun! But he was also known as a hard worker and a diligent farmer. He had a long career with the Masonite Corporation where he retired after 32 years on July 4, 1989. After living in the Ted Community in Smith County for 47 years, in 2004, El and Lou sold their farm and built a home in the Sanctuary Neighborhood of Brandon, Mississippi, where he continued to live for the past 16 years.
El was a long-time member of the United Methodist Church. He was active in the Sylvarena Methodist Church where he helped tear down and build a new church building. In more recent years, he and Lou returned to her family’s home church at Cedar Grove which he also helped to rebuild. El served on the Jasper County Water Board and was instrumental in the establishment and building of SylvaBay Academy.
El had a heart that was able to include everyone. He had a genuine interest in people and was a good neighbor. Always ready to help anyone who needed it, he would “give you the shirt off his back” according to some. As we mourn the loss of El Sims, we are also reminded of the wonderful man that he was. Loved by all who knew and cared for him, we are grateful he was in our lives.
Elmer was preceded in death by his parents, Virgie McDonald Sims and Benjamin Collis Sims; his beloved wife, Virginia Louise Sims; sister, Jewel Sims Cook; and brother, Paul Sims.
He leaves to cherish his memory his daughter, June Sims McAdams and son-in-law, John, of Fort Worth, TX; his son, Stan E. Sims of Seattle Washington; granddaughter, Megan McAdams Goodman and husband, Nathan, and great grandson, Miles Patrick Goodman, of Austin, TX.
Other survivors include nieces: Jan Cook Herrington, Corrine Yelverton Watts, Nancy TenEyck Hennier, Amy Smith Wilson, Diane Smith Barron, Teresa Kuchta, and Candy Stevens Thomas; nephews: Judson Yelverton, Chuck Kuchta, Ronnie Kuchta, Jim TenEyck, Carl Smith, David Smith, and Barry Bergeron; and a host of treasured friends.
Throughout El’s final years he received wonderful care and companionship from his devoted son, Stan. We would like to especially thank his faithful caregiver and friend, Lenora Dixon, and his compassionate and capable VA provider, Ginger Brown. And we are forever grateful for the love and kindness El was shown by his nephew, Jud Yelverton, and Jud’s wife Bitsy.
Services include a visitation on Friday, November 20, 2020, from 4:00 - 6:00 p.m. at Colonial Chapel in Bay Springs. Funeral Service and Internment will be at Cedar Grove Methodist Church on Saturday, November 21, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. MANDATORY MASKS and social distancing are kindly requested by the family at both services.
The family kindly requests that those wishing to send memorial gifts instead of flowers to please consider Cedar Grove Methodist Church Cemetery Fund in care of Debbie Rogers Ingram, 15 Old 18 Drive, Raleigh MS 39153.
OR you can donate online to the Caregiver Service Program (choose from drop down menu) of the Veterans Administration G.V. (Sonny) Montgomery Medical Center and the Vets they serve at www.volunteer.va.gov or www.garysinisefoundation.org.
