James A. Sims, 74, of 1734 E. Inverness Circle, Columbia City, loving husband, father, grandfather and friend to many, passed away at 10:42 p.m. Aug. 18, 2009, at Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home of Fort Wayne.
He was born July 20, 1935, in North Manchester, to James Albert and Florence Ellen Hoover Sims. On June 10, 1955, he married D. Joanne Custer, who survives.
He worked at Burroughs Corp., Fort Wayne, from 1955-73. He then worked at Western Southern Life Insurance Co. from 1973-95. He worked throughout Indiana as an insurance agent in Fort Wayne, a sales manager in Huntington and district manager in Indianapolis and Evansville. He lived in Warsaw from 1994-2006. He was a 1953 Laketon High School graduate then attended Fort Wayne International Business College. He was a member of Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, Warsaw; a former Exchange Club member of Huntington; and a former Scout leader.
Also surviving are a daughter, Nancy J. Sims, Columbia City; five sons: Scott W. (and spouse Gaye T.) Sims, Benton Harbor, Mich.; Gregory G. Sims, Fort Wayne; Steven J. (and spouse Tina M.) Sims, Huntington; Jeffrey S. (and spouse Beth M.) Sims, Roanoke; and Daniel W. (and spouse Frankie M.) Sims, Danville; 14 grandchildren: Marques, Matthew, Heather, Steven, Marissa, Miranda, Erika, J.J., Terri, Lindsay and Leslie Sims, Brooke Eikenberry, Jessica DeVall and Matt Scheiman; two great-grandchildren, Keira Sims and Maya Lewis; a brother, Floyd E. (and spouse Carol J.) Sims, Homosassa, Fla.; and a sister, Marjorie E. (and spouse John H.) Gorrell, Pleasant Lake. He was preceded in death by his parents and an infant granddaughter, Elisabeth Ann Schelb.
Services will be at 10 a.m. Monday at Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, Warsaw, with Pastors Steve Ailes and Jim MacDonald officiating. Burial will be in Oakwood Cemetery, Warsaw.
Calling is from noon to 6 p.m. Sunday at Redpath-Fruth Funeral Home, 225 Argonne Road, Warsaw.
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Memorials to Visiting Nurse & Hospice Home, 5910 Homestead Road, Fort Wayne, IN 46814; or the Walnut Creek United Methodist Church, 2033 S. CR 150W, Warsaw, IN 46580.
Condolences may be sent to www.redpathfruthfuneralhome.com
