Ava Sue Sims Day

Ava Sue Sims Day, born in Kosciusko, Mississippi on June 13th, 1947, passed away peacefully on the morning of January 1, 2026, in Brandon, at the age of 78.

Growing up in South Jackson, Ava went to Forest Hill High School and eventually Hinds Community College where she was a High Stepper. It was there that she met William (Bill) Day from Crystal Springs, the love of her life. They were married in 1967.

Ava fought many health battles during her presence here, but even after a light stroke that kept her from walking and with dementia taking hold, her adoration for her family and close friends never wavered. She was always glad to see a friendly face, always had hot coffee or iced tea on tap, and like her father, insisted that you “come early and stay late” for any occasion. Her enthusiastic attitude, deep religious faith, and keen sense of humor carried her through many dark days, seemingly proving each time that she was stronger than the last. She was determined to live her challenging life on her terms, fighting her uncooperative body every step of the way, because she loved the little things so much—whether it was celebrating holidays and special occasions, shopping, getting her hair done, or eating at Primos with her mother on any given weekday.

There existed only two things that she would sacrifice anything for, and those were her children. A model mother, Ava reared her kids in her own image, stressing the importance of integrity, discipline, honesty, and good character. She reveled in their successes and she commiserated in their failures, regardless of fault or circumstance, and she would defend them to the end. She often said that being a mother was her greatest gift. In actuality, she was theirs.

Ava will be dearly missed by all who knew and loved her. People tend to remember her as a fighter, and her persistence to make it another day was evidence of her remarkable inner strength. Her example and her impact will live on in her absence. These last few weeks, she kept repeating that she “just wanted to go home.” We can only imagine how happy she was when she got there.