Bill Sims

Bill Sims, 83, died Monday, June 12, 2017 in Hawley / Abilene, Texas.

Born in Roby, Texas on May 3,1934, Bill was the son of Mary Williams and Charles W. Sims.  After the death of his mother at the age of three, he was raised by an uncle and aunt, Jim and Belle Williams. Following high school, he served in the U. S. Marine Corps. Bill worked in the oilfield and as a welder prior to working as a Production Control Supervisor for Timex 20 years and Texas Instruments for 14 years. Timex sent Bill to Dundee Scotland as Production Liaison for 5 years, as well as Switzerland, Mexico City, Mexico, and Little Rock Arkansas. Bill worked as a farmer on the side raising crops and cattle.

Bill married Betty Ruth Faulks on September 16, 1953 in Jones County, Texas.  He was a member of Hodges Baptist Church and served on the Hawley ISD School Board for 24 years, during which time they built 15 different buildings on the Hawley ISD Campus. He was Scout Master at Hawley for 11 years, and served for several years as an umpire for the Hawley Little League Association. He helped to build the Hawley Girls’ Softball facilities at the Hawley Little League Complex. After Bill left Texas Instruments, he took off a year to help rebuild and remodel the Hodges Baptist Church, he laid the first brick during that building project. Bill worked on a building project at North Park Baptist Church in Abilene, helping to update the grounds.

He was preceded in death by several brothers and sisters and two sons, Ronnie H. Sims and James T. Sims.

Bill is survived by his wife of 63 years, Betty Ruth Sims of Abilene; two sons, Jack Sims and wife Charla, and Randy Sims and wife Cheri, all of Abilene; a sister, Murrel Purkhiser of San Antonio; four grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Visitation will be 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, June 14, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road, Abilene.  Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, June 15, at Hodges Baptist Church with Rev. Matt Cheevers and Dwaine Williams officiating.   Burial will follow at the Hawley Cemetery. Any correspondence to Ruth Sims and family can be sent in care of Bill Sims at Hodges Baptist Church.

Pallbearers will be Larry Bob Faulks, Joe Mack Stevens, Ted Knight, Lew Venable, Mike Venable, Don Lambert, Leon Vaughn, and Ron Pointer.  Honorary pallbearers will be Gary Aicher, Gene Basham, and Steve Basham.

Memorials may be made to Hodges Baptist Church, 13915 County Road 495, Hawley, TX 79525, and Love & Care Ministries, 233 Fannin St., Abilene, TX 79603.