Tuesday, December 10, 2024
J.R. Sims, age 80, of Gatesville, passed away on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, at his home.
Private memorial services will be held by his family at a later date.
J.R. Sims was born Jan. 17, 1944, in Turnersville to the late William Raymond and Rosa Larance Sims. He grew up and attended school in Gatesville. He married Wanda Sue Breeden on Dec. 19, 1962, and together they made their home in Central Texas. He worked in construction for McKinney and James Construction Company and was part of the crew that helped build Highway 36 through Gatesville. In 1981, he moved his family to the North Texas area and went to work for Southwestern Electric Power Company. In the summer of 1983, J.R. took a job as a truck driver and continued driving trucks until 2019, when he transferred to maintenance where he worked as a mechanic until his retirement. He moved back to Gatesville in 2022 to be closer to family.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Marie Chambers, Linda Duncan, Laverne Spencer, Loraine Beasley, Ruthie Coleman, and Louise Higdon; and brothers, Walter Dean Sims, and Junior Sims.
J.R. is survived by his first wife, Wanda Dooley; daughters, Regina Sorenson and Shelia Stacher; sons, Jonathan Randall Sims and Earl Wayne Sims; grandchildren, Taletha Sims, Krystyna Antoine, Jamison Sims, Joshawa Sims, Randell Sims, Dawn Sims, Crystal Hanna, Kasi Sorenson, Shelby Stacher, and Mackenzie Stacher; and 16 great-grandchildren.
