Billy Joe Sims

Rev. Billy Joe Sims, 68, minister at Faith Baptist Church, school bus driver, and resident of East Highland Drive, died Thursday, April 6, 2006, at Maury Regional Hospital. Funeral services will be conducted at 10:30 A.M. Monday at Oakes & Nichols Funeral Home with Rev. Douglas McCandless officiating. Burial will be alongside his parents in Bailey Cemetery with military honors provided by Herbert Griffin American Legion Post 19. The family will visit with friends Sunday after 4:00 P.M. at the funeral home. Notes of sympathy may be sent to the family at www.oakesandnichols.com. The Maury County native was the son of the late Charlie Lee Sims and Mable Claire Thompson Sims. He served in the U. S. Army. He made his home in California for several years where he retired as a building contractor. In more recent years, he was employed as a bus driver for Maury County Schools and was affectionately known as "Mr. Wilson" by the students. Survivors include his wife of forty-eight years, Sylvia Tate Sims of Columbia; one daughter, Patricia Lynne (Mark) Vaughn of Mt. Pleasant; two sons, Charles Lee Sims (José Jorge Rodriguez) of Sacramento, California; Stephen Edward Sims of Columbia; one sister, Martha Ann Davis of Mt. Pleasant; six grandchildren, Bonnie Marie Sims (David) Myers, Mark Allan Vaughn, Jr., Kolonie Sylvia Sims, Dyllan Tate Sims, Kendra Lynn Maine, David Lee Maine; two great grandchildren, Samantha Nadia Myers, Celina Faith Myers; two brothers-in-law, Lyle (Marsha) Smith and Rick (Sharon) Morris. He was preceded in death by one brother, Charles Earnest Sims, and one sister, Mary Catherine Lovell. Pallbearers will be Mark Vaughn, Sr., Mark Vaughn, Jr., David Maine, David Myers, Billy Hargrove, Kenneth Smith, Michael McKennon, and Eric McCandless. Honorary pallbearers will be Lyle Smith, Dyllan Sims, Vern Von Ferber, Bobby Riddle, Rick Morris, Billy Lee, Russell George Davis, and David Westmoreland.