Don Sims, 1939-2021

John "Don" Sims, 82, of Lake Wales passed away Sunday, March 28, 2021 at Forsythe Hospice House in Auburndale.

He was born January 22, 1939 in Atlanta, GA to the late John Sims and Eunice Sims; he moved to Lake Wales from Tampa in 1972. Don was a retired human resources director at Florida's Natural Growers, Inc., and was a member of First Baptist Church of Lake Wales. He served in the United States Air Force during the Vietnam era for eight years. Don was a Past President of the Kiwanis Club and a Past President of the Lake Wales Care Center.

Don is survived by his wife of 34 years, Becky Sims; daughters, Chris (Kim) Sims of Leland, NC, Dee (JC) Crowder of Winter Haven, Shelley (Blake) Bowlin of Daytona Beach, and Krista (Keith) Thompson of Lake Wales; sister, Nancy (Jim) Hirsch of Englewood; grandchildren, Melissa (Adam) Weatherford, Kaley Sutton, Brett Usry, Christopher Sutton, Abigail (Nick) Kemick , Levi Bowlin, and Becca (Joel) Flaming; and great-grandchildren, Lane and Luke Weatherford.

A visitation will be held from 6-8 p.m., Wednesday, March 31 at the Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales. A funeral service will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 1 at the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales with a visitation from 10-11a.m.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Alzheimer's Disease Research (www.alz.org) or to the First Baptist Church of Lake Wales (www.fbclw.com). Marion Nelson Funeral Home in Lake Wales is handling arrangements.