Remembering Bill

Feb 5,1935: A child was born. William H Simms.
Father: Leroy Melrose Simms
Mother: Frances Alley
Birth Place: Jacksonville Florida

March 17, 1952 After turning 17 years old, Bill joined the United States Navy, with his mother's consent. After training in San Diego, California he was sent to San Francisco to await transfer to the USS Kenneth Whitting, AV-14 (Seaplane tender) which based it's operations in Iwakuni,Japan. After spending the later part of the year of 1952 in Japan and off the coast of Korea, the ship returned to the Bremerton Naval Station in Washington State where he met his future wife, Joan Campbell on New Year's Eve 1952.

June 25, 1954 Bill marries Joan Campell of Seattle Washington.

June 25, 1954 After geting married, Bill is transfered to the USS Orinskany, CVC 34 ( Attack Aircraft Carrier) and returned to Japan, taking in such ports of call as Sasebo, Kobe and Yokosuka. While in Japan, Bill visited Tokyo, Hiroshima and Yokosuka. On his return to the states, he was assigned to the USS Yorktown, CVA 10 (Attack Aircraft Carrier).

January 26, 1956 After being honorably discharged from the US Navy, Bill joins his wife in Seattle and attended school at the Northwest Railway School. Upon completion he worked for three major railroads as Agent and Operator.

March 5, 1956 Bill & Joan have their first child, Cheryl Ann Simms, born in Seattle.

December 24, 1957 Bill & Joan had their first son, William H Simms II, also born in Seattle.

March 4, 1959 Bill & Joan had their second son, Wesley Ashton Simms, born in San Fransico, California.

1965 The Simms family moved back to Jacksonville, Florida, where Bill worked for McCormick Concrete Company as a Dispatcher. Later Bill went into business with his brother Bobby in the Art and Antiques business. Later Bill established Simms & Associates and worked as an Art Consultant, acquiring art from popular artists including a painting by Martin J Heade, which he sold to the Cummer Museum of Art in Jacksonville.

1975 With Joan being transfered to Miami, with Southern Bell the family moved to Miami. While living in Miami, Bill began working undercover with the (DEA) Drug Enforcement Agency of Miami, in an effort to put a stop to drug trafficing. He never did talk much about it for security reasons. Later in Miami, Bill and son Wesley opened Simms & Son's Furniture Repair and Refinishing.

1981 With the AT&T companies being split up, Joan was transfered again to Broward County Florida. They bought a home in Plantation, Fl and lived there for 15 years.

1996 With Joan retired from Southern Bell, Bill and Joan started looking for a home with acreage out of the big city. Bill's friend Walt Davis recommended coming up to Mississippi, which they did. They purchased a new home with 50 adjoining acres in Vancleave, MS and moved there with their son Wesley and his children John, Anna and Cody. With 50 acres to tend to Bill was always active. He enjoyed clearing the land with his tractor, walking the property with his dogs Rockie, Spot, Freestyle and Bonnie Blue and being with family.

July 2007 In the middle of July, Bill was diagnosed with cancer. He was to see a cancer specialist in New Orleans on July 31st, but was hospitalized the last week of July. The cancer had advanced to where there was nothing the Doctors could do. Bill requested to go home and left the hospital on Saturday July 28th. One of Bill's last communications was Saturday night, when his Grandchildren Anna and Cody entered the room. He gave them both a big smile when he saw them, then went to sleep. The following morning Bill went into a coma. Joan, Wesley and Cheryl were there by his side until the end.

July 30, 2007 Bill passed away at home at 7:00am CST Monday. Bill requested that no service be held and was cremated, July 31st after son's Wesley & William and Grand Daughter Anna saw him for one last time.