William Sims, 74
William Sims, 74, passed away, Sunday, Sept. 10, 2006, at his home in Sandpoint, Idaho, with his wife JoAnn by his side.
A celebration of Bill's life will be held at the family home, 182 Sunnyside Rd. at 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 18, 2006, with Pastor Ken Smith of the First Baptist Church officiating.
Bill was born Oct. 10, 1931. in San Bernardino, Calif., to Paul Averyette and Minnie Ola (Wampler) Sims. Bill married Margaret Delores Carter in 1959 and a son, Michael Raymond Sims, was born on Aug. 26, 1962, in Riverside, Calif. Margaret died in 1967 in Texas.
Bill married JoAnn Crandall Taylor on Aug. 11, 1984, in Riverside and they spent the past 22 years together. The couple originally lived in Riverside and Cherry Valley, Calif.
Beginning in 1993, they began traveling to North Idaho and Sandpoint to visit family. In 2001, they bought a piece of land on Sunnyside Road and built a home.
He worked at Rohr aircraft industries for 40 years and served in the Quartermasters in the U.S. Army during the Korean War. His favorite days were surrounded by family and friends. He loved gardening, fishing, and spending time on Lake Pend Oreille in his boat, having his grandchildren visit, making model airplanes and traveling on new roads to see where they would go.
Last winter, he joined JoAnn in her quilting hobby and together they made a very detailed quilt. They received a blue ribbon in a quilt show, and "best of show" at the Bonner County Fair. His last trip from home was to see the quilt hanging at the fair. He will be remembered as an honest, caring, gentle, hardworking man, who loved nothing more than being with family, friends, or working in his yard with his faithful dog by his side.
He is survived by his loving wife, JoAnn Sims of Sandpoint; a son, Michael Sims of Portland, Ore.; two grandchildren, Michael and Ashley Sims of Portland; three stepdaughters, Debra (Roy) Neely of Riverside, Sue Sagen of Sandpoint and Kathy Garvey of Hemet, Calif.; a stepson, Dave (Mimi) Taylor of Hemet and Dufort Road, Sandpoint; seven step-grandchildren, Jamie Nechochea, Kristy Bateman, and Cody Rowe of Hemet, Adam Taylor of San Diego, Calif., Dirk Neely of Los Angeles, Calif., and Jason and Jacob Sagen of Sandpoint; five step-great-grandchildren; a niece, Teri Bays and her daughter, Sydney, of Long Beach, Calif.; and a nephew, Paul Bays of Long Beach.
He was preceded in death by his parents; a sister, Mary Hoover; and dear friend, Steve Sagen.
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Bonner Community Hospice, PO Box 1448, Sandpoint, ID 83864; or Panhandle Animal Shelter, 1604 Great Northern Rd., Sandpoint, ID 83864.
Lakeview Funeral Home in Sandpoint is handling the arrangements. Please visit Bill's online memorial at www.lakeviewfuneral.com and sign his online guest book.