Dr. Robert C. Sims
1936 ~ 2015
Dr. Robert C. (Bob) Sims, educator, historian, public servant, and family man, died of prostate cancer at home surrounded by family on May 9 , 2015. Bob was born in Ft. Gibson, Oklahoma in 1936 and was raised by his mother, grandmother and great-grandmother, all members of the Cherokee Nation, as was Bob. He was educated in Oklahoma and at the University of Colorado, where he received his Ph.D. in American History. He taught at Boise State University for thirty years, and served as Dean for ten years, retiring in 1999. He brought a strong sense of racial justice and equality to his work, focusing on the history of minorities in 20th Century America. He touched the lives of thousands of students, faculty, administrators and friends who admired his love of history, scholarship and dedication to teaching, but also came to know him as a loyal friend, good story teller, lover of jazz and sports fan.
Bob served in the U. S. Army in Europe in Germany, where he was captain of the championship winning USAREUR basketball team. While in Germany, he met his future wife, Betty Crow, whom he married in 1963 in the Bay area. His job at BSU brought his family to Boise where he became engaged in public service, serving on the Boise City Planning and Zoning Commission from 1978-1984 and the Idaho Humanities Council, 1978-1986.
Bob's early awareness of injustices to minority groups set the stage for a lifetime dedicated to human rights and civil liberties. While in graduate school he learned of the treatment of Japanese Americans during World War II. His move to Idaho led to his life's passion - researching, documenting and telling the stories of those members of the Japanese American community who were forced to relocate to the incarceration center in Idaho at Minidoka. After Minidoka was named a National Monument (now a National Historic Site) he served on the advisory committee developing the National Park Service's management plan. He later served on the board of the Friends of Minidoka, a non-profit organization supporting the management of the site. His belief in education as a tool to counter prejudices and injustices led to his co-founding the annual Civil Liberties Symposium in 2006, which is part of the site's educational program.
Bob was a man of quiet dignity, deep compassion, keen intellect and a sharp wit. He will be deeply missed by wife, Betty; children, Sarah, Barry and Todd and their spouses, as well as nine grandchildren, to whom he was very special.
Bob's life will be celebrated in Boise's Barber Park Event Center on May 31st at 11:00 am. Family, friends, former colleagues and students are invited to attend.
Contributions may be made to the Idaho Humanities Council (217 W. State St., Boise, ID 83702) and to the Friends of Minidoka, Symposium Fund (PO Box 1085, Twin Falls, ID 83303).

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

Published by Idaho Statesman on May 17, 2015.

Memories and Condolences
for Robert Sims

Sponsored by The Idaho Statesman.

10 Entries

Robert Barr

May 13, 2020

Miss you bob, seems like yesterday I arrived at Boise State to find my favorite dean, Bob Sims right down the hall...his friendship so enriched my life....

Bob Omberg

July 9, 2015

I just read of Dr. Sims' passing in the BSU magazine, and was very sad. I had him for four classes while a history major from 1973-77; I remember him as a professor who cared deeply about the subject and always made class interesting. Although I didn't get a related job with my history-secondary ed major, he was very happy when I told him about what became my career - working as a lawyer for a New Deal agency, the NLRB, where I still am. I hope his family is comforted by the knowledge that he was a positive influence on many lives in many ways.

June 23, 2015

Dear Betty and Family,

During the time that we worked together, Betty, I heard of Bob's work at Minidoka. Then when I first met Bob over coffee in Seattle, I was pleased that he asked me about Japanese-American families in my hometown of Emmett. We were both surprised that the families that Bob knew happened to be my father's childhood neighbors!

Later, in the peaceful shade of your patio last summer, Bob regaled us with stories of his early research in Idaho and encouraged my own novice work in history. Most delightful that evening, were Bob's animated stories of his grandchildren.

I am thankful to have glimpsed his legacy.

Tom S. Brown

Kary Goetz

May 30, 2015

Just want to say thank you for being a mentor to all of us who asked for your help. You made the world a better place, and will be deeply missed.

May 20, 2015

Betty
I am sending my love, my thoughts and prayers. I heard of Bob's passing from David Skinner the other night and have been thinking about you ever since. It has been many years since seeing you but I have never forgotten your support and friendship in my last year at Boise State University. I have never forgotten you and Bob and the kindness and thoughtfulness that you both bring to the world around you. Please know that I, like may others, share in your loss and care about you.
Mark Toledo

May 19, 2015

Beryl and I were traveling in Eastern Europe when we received news of Bob's death. We are devastated by thee loss. When I arrived at BSU at Dean of Education in 1991, Bob's office was just down the hall on the 7th floor. It was wonderful to have offices across the hall with another Dean. He welcomed me to BSU, helped provide orientation on all cans of academic but best of all he became a dear and trusted friend. His smile and chuckle brighten my every day. And with Pat Beiter serving a my Associate Dean, the two of them made each and every day a lot brighter. I always thought of Bob as the "Harry Truman" of Deans. Around the Deans table with the President and Provost, Bob was always the one to caution, " Now wait a minute, have you really thought this through?" and then he always offered a strong dose of common sense. He ran the deans office all my himself, with out the support people you normally would expect. He made Deaning seem so easy. He just always did what seemed to be right and let his Dept Chairs do their job. He was a wonderful mentor, a model of what a Dean could be. He was also a man of great integrity, he stood for something. His was a strong voice for human dignity and equality. He fought racism and ignorance where ever he encountered it. He used his fine research on Japanese Relocation Centers to remind us all on how good intentions could have tragic results. What can I say. He was just a wonderful human being, a kind person full of laughter. The best days was when he could wonder over to my office at the end of the day and he, Pat Beiter and me would slip off to Noodles for an end of day drink and discussions. Could there have been anything better than that. He will be so deeply missed by everyone who knew him. My deepest condolences to my Betty who shares the greatest loss of all. Robert Barr, former Dean of Education, BSU

Paul Naher

May 18, 2015

I was blessed to have Bob as my advisor during my years at BSU, and, without his guidance and assistance, would not have even considered graduate school! He thought I would be a perfect fit for the graduate program at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington, and how right he was! The training I received from both BSUand WWU opened doors to a career not even dreamed of! I made a point to stop by for visits while on vacations to the Boise area, and Bob always made time for me, even though his schedule was always crammed. I will never forget his kindness, advice and the time taken to mentor a shy farm boy from Emmett! It was an honor to have been Bob's student and friend, and I pray God will bring peace to his family and all the others who mourn his passing.

Patricia Pierose

May 17, 2015

In 2006 or so, Bob Sims (though retired) shepherded an independent research project I wanted to work on. He was wry, encouraging and spot on in his critiques. I knew he was interested in The Depression and crossing my fingers I gave him Tim Egan's "The Worst Hard Times." It was before the Ken Burns documentary, and he had not read it. We had such a good time talking about the book and sharing stories. If memory serves me correctly, Bob and Mrs. Sims were involved in a PUBLIC alternative elementary school that served Boise for several years. It was a grand place.

Idaho and Boise have certainly lost a First Citizen; we are so much richer for his service, his interests and his friendship. I am thinking of his family and especially of him this afternoon.
Patricia Pierose
Singapore, Singapore

David Johnson

May 17, 2015

I had the privilege of serving as chair of the Social Work Department under Bob as the Dean of the School. He provided an incredible amount of encouragement and support through numerous challenges as we fast tracked the development of a graduate social work program. Bob was a friend, mentor, and colleague - a person of upmost integrity. Bob is part of who I am as I am sure he is for many others.

Todd Shallat

May 16, 2015

Once, when Bob was teaching U.S. History, he assigned students an essay about the causes of WWI. The prompt was "Should the U.S. have entered WWI." One student turned in a two sentence essay: "Goodness," she wrote, "it's not for me to say. What's done is done." Bob really loved that response--so innocent, so concise.

One his jobs as dean was to review the academic appeals of students on probation. One was a star athlete who had failed all of his course. He would have to do better, said the dean. And he did. He reported to Bob's office the next semester with three "Fs" and one "D."

"Three Fs and a D? What happened?" asked Bob of the failing student.

"Oh," said the boy, prideful and beaming for raising his grade point. "I really studied this time."

A final story. One of Bob's history course was the Great Depression. He would play Woody Guthrie music ("This Land is Your Land; this Land is My Land). Over the years the students no longer knew about Woody Guthrie. Bob, trying to stay relevant, pleaded in class. "You know, Woody Guthrie. The father of (Woodstock icon) Arlo Guthrie." The students looked at him blankly. "You know . . . Woodstock music festival." More blank looks. I saw Bob later that day in the history department, head shaking, disoriented. "Time for me to retire," he said.

Bob never did really retire. Not from the teaching and public speaking, nor from the fight against racism and greed. Even in death, his humanity survives.

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