James F. (Jim) Sims returned home to his heavenly Father on July 4, 2017.Jim was born northeast of Midland, near the old Courtney Community Area. His parents, James and Minnie Sims, both long deceased, were from Alabama, by way of Indian Territory, Oklahoma. They settled on land in northwest Martin County in 1920, where Jim was later born. After the death of his father in 1938, Jim moved to Waxahachie, Texas in 1939, and resided there until entering the U.S. Army in 1945. He served in several Airborne Infantry Units until his discharge in 1952 as a Sgt. First Class. During the last two and one half years of his service, he served in Pathfinder Units and as a Forward Observer with the Air-Ground Fire Control Team.Following his discharge from the military, he began a 35 year career with Southwestern Bell Telephone and American Telephone and Telegraph Companies. He worked various assignments in different departments of the companies and was loaned to other operating companies in the system. On one project he worked in the Arabian Gulf area on loan to the U.S. Navy. At the time of his retirement, Jim was supervising all broadband operations in the western area of Texas for Southwestern Bell Telephone.Jim was introduced to his future wife, Ruth, by his sister in 1956. They were married in San Angelo, Texas on January 27, 1957. They were married 60 years until they were separated by death. Jim was baptized into the Baptist faith shortly after he and Ruth were married and has served as both adult and junior teacher, scout leader and department leader. He was also involved in building three missions in Old Mexico in the 1960’s. His family accompanied him on many of these trips and his children learned that a totally different world existed just a few hundred miles from their home.Jim is survived by his wife, Ruth, of Midland; daughter, Jeri Sims of Wylie, Texas; son, James Sims of Garland, Texas; and the lights of his life, grandson, Ethan Bradley Sims and granddaughter, Riley Grace Sims. He is also survived by two very close nephews, James Robinson, Larry Starr and wife Mabel and two very close friends, Larry Rudrauff, who was like a brother and Debi Harber, who was like his daughter.Jim was preceded in death by his mother and father and four sisters, Jean Laird, Charlcie Callahan, Vivia Kilpatrick and Lilly Synco. He was also preceded by two nephews, Oren Carmichael and Jimmy Callahan.Funeral Services will be in Midland at First Baptist Chapel on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 10:00 am, officiated by Rev. David Johnson. Burial will follow at Miles Cemetery in Miles, Texas in the family plot on Saturday, July 8, 2017 at 3:30 p.m.Pallbearers will be Don Davis, Martin Eckert, Darrell Harber, Brent Heinze, Mark Heinze, Leonard Heinze, Alan Long, Brad Long, Lowell Odom, Richard Ramsey, Jim Robinson and Rick Sorsby. Honorary pallbearers will be the eight thousand missing and unaccounted for veterans of the Korean War.Arrangements are under the direction of Nalley-Pickle & Welch Funeral Home & Crematory of Midland. Online condolences can be made at www.npwelch.com.,
