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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, A full and generous life came to an end with the |
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passing of Sammie Lee Sims of Fort Worth on February 25, 2009, at |
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the age of 92; and |
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WHEREAS, Born on October 23, 1916, the former Sammie Lee |
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Harper grew up in Lodi in Marion County; she graduated from Central |
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High School in Jefferson, and shortly thereafter, she moved to the |
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Sherman area with her family; and |
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WHEREAS, In her early 20s, she married the love of her life, |
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Charlie Edward Sims, whom she had known since first grade; the |
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couple were blessed with two sons, Theophlous and William, and |
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enjoyed 55 years together, until Mr. Sims passed away in 1992; and |
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WHEREAS, Mrs. Sims attended the Madam C. J. Walker School of |
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Cosmetology in Dallas and operated the Ever-Ready Beauty Salon in |
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Sherman after her graduation; determined to further her education, |
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she became one of the first African Americans to enroll at Austin |
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College in Sherman, and her example helped inspire future |
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generations of her family to devote themselves to their studies; in |
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1972, she and her husband relocated to Fort Worth, where their sons |
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lived, and the family founded a business, Sims Enterprises, Inc., |
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with Mrs. Sims serving as secretary; and |
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WHEREAS, This esteemed Texan took great comfort in her faith; |
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during her youth, she attended Mount Moriah Baptist Church in Lodi, |
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and she was a very active member of the congregation at St. James |
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United Methodist Church in Sherman and Morningside United Methodist |
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Church in Fort Worth; she and her family later helped found Campus |
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Drive United Methodist Church, where Mrs. Sims served as lay |
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speaker for the congregation; in addition to her church activities, |
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she was a member of J. C. Boger Chapter No. 229 of the Order of the |
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Eastern Star; and |
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WHEREAS, Known to many as "Aunt Sammie" or "Mama Sims," |
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Sammie Lee Sims will be deeply missed, but the memory of her warmth, |
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kindness, and devotion will continue to inspire those she has left |
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behind; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 81st Texas |
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Legislature hereby pay tribute to the life of Sammie Lee Sims and |
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extend sincere sympathy to the members of her family: to her |
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children, Dr. Theophlous Aron Sims, Sr., and his wife, Nancy, and |
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William Lee Sims and his wife, Mildred; to her grandchildren, Dr. |
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Theophlous Aron Sims, Jr., and his wife, Amy, LeAnn Sims Person and |
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her husband, Marc, Shannon Sims Alfred and her husband, Carl, |
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Stephanie Sims Sipho and her husband, Dameon, and Ruston Martin |
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Sims; to her sister, Annie Martin; to her great-grandchildren, |
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Austin, Caleb, Cara, Dekhota, Lauren, Zoel, Carlynne, Bernard, |
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Kennedi, and Kolbi; and to her other relatives and friends; and, be |
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it further |
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RESOLVED, That an official copy of this resolution be |
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prepared for her family and that when the Texas House of |
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Representatives adjourns this day, it do so in memory of Sammie Lee |
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Sims. |