Steven L. Sims

Steven Leslie Sims was born on August 25, 1955, in Winter Park, FL, to Robert L. and Marie (née Alston) Sims. He was the elder of two sons. He referred to himself as an air force brat because his family moved frequently when his father was stationed in various states and countries. Steve’s most memorable home was in Adona, Turkey. When he was in the ninth grade, his family permanently settled in Greensboro, NC to be near his father’s family. He attended James B. Dudley High School where he played football, baseball, wrestled, worked as a lifeguard during summers, and made life-long friends. He graduated from Dudley in 1973.

Steve attended North Carolina A&T State University and enjoyed serving as the chief photographer for the A&T newspaper during his time there. He pledged the Beta Epsilon chapter of Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity, Incorporated in Fall 1974. After graduation he attended Atlanta University (now Clark Atlanta University). While in Atlanta, Steve met and married his wife, Lillian (née Branch). They were married for 38 years and have one son, Steven Michael. After the couple relocated to Cincinnati, Steve attended the University of Cincinnati where he earned a Master of Social Work. He has worked as a program manager, clinical social worker, chemical dependency counselor, and mental health therapist. Working with veterans was one of the greatest joys of his life for which he had much passion. Steve retired from the VA Hospital in Dayton, OH.

He was a member of Lincoln Heights Missionary Baptist Church where he served as an ordained deacon and was licensed as a minister of the gospel. Steve and Lillian served as leaders of the marriage ministry, Sunday school teachers, and leaders of a small group Bible study. Steve also served as a host of the daily prayer line and worked with the Kairos Prison Ministry. He served in ministry until his health would no longer allow him to do so.

Steve enjoyed a variety of genres of music and loved photography.  His favorite things to photograph included live sports and nature, particularly flowers blooming in early spring. Steve also enjoyed fishing, watching all types of sports, and barbecuing. His family often referred to him as the Grillmaster. Grilling and smoking meat was an artform inspired by the flavors of his home state of North Carolina, and the pit techniques he observed while visiting his in-laws in Texas.

Steve was preceded in death by his father, Robert Sims, his mother Marie Sims, and his nephew Nicholas Sims. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife, Lillian; son Steven Michael (Cailin); grandchildren Eleanor and Julian; brother Edward (Kathy); mother-in-law, Dolores Branch; sisters-in-law, Gay Campbell, Yolanda Renfro (Maurice), Oralynetta Jordan; brothers-in-law Gregory Branch (Madglean), and Jason Branch, and a host of nieces and nephews, cousins, and friends. Steve will be missed but his legacy will continue through the lives he has touched.

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