Charles Henry Sims Sr.

Charles Henry

Sims Sr.

Charles Henry Sims Sr. was born on January 22, 1935, in Trevilians, Virginia, from the union of Tom and Ruth Sims. He was the youngest of a distinguished family of five. Growing up under the watchful eye of his grandparents, Thomas and Alice Sims, his education began at their knees along with his two siblings. Understanding, establishing and maintaining of house and home were the hallmarks of his early training and upbringing. He received his formal education from the Number C School and graduated early from the prestigious Louisa Training School of Louisa County Virginia. Education never ceased as he continued his studies at the Piedmont Virginia Community College and the Fredericksburg Bible Institute in Virginia.

On July 25, 1953, Charles married his love, Fannie Lee Johnson. Heaven blessed this union with five boys and two girls. They spent their early years of marriage in Washington, D.C., until Charles completed building their home in Louisa, Virginia. This is the home where they continued to love, nurture and educate their blossoming children.After maintaining a work schedule that required him to travel from Fort Meade, Maryland, and Fort Lee in Petersburg, Virginia, Charles accepted a position at the Foreign Science and Technology Center in Charlottesville, Virginia. As Charles H. Sims Sr. is known for his commitment and focus, he completed 30 years of government service before retiring with numerous citations, acknowledgements and awards.

While these activities were the scheduled order of the day, the essence of his existence was clearly defined when he accepted the call to preach the gospel ministry. Charles H. Sims, Sr. accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Savior at an early age at the Oak Grove Baptist Church located in Trevilians, Virginia. It was at this church he was licensed to preach on May 17, 1964. With the collective support of his wife, the Reverend Charles H. Sims Sr., began his pastoral ministry at the Mount Olive Baptist Church located in Montpelier, Virginia, in the spring of 1965. The zeal and power with which he proclaimed the gospel not only attributed to him being a highly sought guest preacher and evangelist, but also impacted the success of his pastoral ministry. He served as Pastor of the Mount Olive Baptist Church in Montpelier, Virginia, Eagle Baptist Church in Louisa, Virginia, and the Main Uno Baptist Church in Madison, Virginia. After a decade of devoted service to Mount Olive, he accepted the call for pastoral ministry at the Thessalonia Baptist Church in Fork Union, Virginia. During his stay at these "fields of labor" (as he called them) numerous souls were touched and saved. The collective efforts of those memberships reflected the exuberance of his pastoral leadership. Reverend Sims concluded his pastoral leadership after nearly a decade at Thessalonia and two decades at Main Uno as he continued to serve the Eagle Baptist Church. In December 2008, he retired from his pastoral service and received the Pastor Emeritus Status. Yes, forty-three plus of continuous pastoral ministry or one could rightly count nearly eighty years of service.

Because of the contributions in his faith walk and ministry, the Reverend Charles H. Sims Sr. was bestowed an honorary doctorate degree from the Eastern Theological Seminary. The passion in his service carried him to roles of community activism and liturgical leadership. As the moderator of the Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Association, he led in the constructing of its historical headquarters in Rixeyville, Virginia. At the conclusion of his allotted terms and various board chairmanships, Reverend. Dr. Sims was bestowed the Moderator Emeritus status.

Reverend Dr. Sims is well known in many circles and highly regarded among his peers. His reach and inspiring presence was very welcoming. He will be remembered for having a word or two or three or four in any meeting. Beyond his preaching and pastoral legacy is the fact that Reverend Dr. Sims was always ready to pray for others, no matter when nor where as he held those hands tight while talked to God about the situation. When he prayed, he really prayed believing!

Preceded in death by his parents, grandparents and close friend, brother-in-law, Thomas Holland, he leaves to cherish his powerful, memorable presence and memories: wife of nearly 57 years, Fannie Lee Johnson Sims; children, James Sylvester and his wife, Shirley, of Irving, Texas, Charles Henry Jr. and his wife, Cynthia, of Louisa, Virginia, Felicia Leona and her husband, Blake, of Charlottesville, Virginia, Stanley Eugene and his wife, Mary, of Baltimore, Maryland, Ronald Eric and his wife, Carolyn, of Madison, Virginia, Christopher Thomas of Wilmington, Delaware, Florazella Lenora and her husband, Roy, of Madison, Virginia; 20 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. He also leaves to cherish his memories, a sister, Julia Holland; a brother, Thomas Sims and his wife, Lillie, of Mitchellville, Maryland; and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, in-laws, extended family members and colleagues of the faith.

Visitation will be from 2 until 7 p.m. Sunday, May 23, 2010, and from 11 a.m. until 4 p.m. Monday, May 24, 2010, at the Thomasson Watson Funeral Chapel.

A wake service will be held from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday, May 24, 2010, at Wayland Blue Ridge Baptist Inc., 15044 Ryland Chapel Road, Rixeyville, Virginia 22737, 540-937-2090.

Funeral services will be held 12 p.m. Tuesday, May 25, 2010, at New Life Community Church, 509 East Main Street, Louisa, Virginia 23093 with his son, the Reverend Christopher Sims, officiating. Interment will follow at the Bright Hope Baptist Church Cemetery in Louisa, Virginia.

Thomasson Watson Funeral Service Inc. of Louisa, is handling the arrangements.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.ddwatsonmortician.com.

"eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God has prepared for those who love him." I Corinthians 2:9


This obituary was originally published in the Daily Progress.