Billy Ray Sims, age 91, passed away on Monday, Oct. 22, 2018 at 10:42 a.m.
He was born Aug. 10, 1927 in Broughton, and was the son of the late Joe and Linnie Singer (Miller) and Charles Omar Sims. Billy married Dorothy Jean Monday on Nov. 3, 1945 at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Alton.
He served his country in World War II in the United States Navy from 1945 until 1947.
Billy worked as a plant foreman for Energy Coatings, retiring in 1988, and was a lifetime member of the Alton VFW, Post 1308.
He is survived by a sister, Suellen Douglas of Kuttawa, Kentucky; two sons, Wendell Sims (Gail) of Wildwood, Missouri, Jerry Sims of Madison; and a daughter, Janet Syria of Alton. Billy is also survived by five grandchildren, Rhonda Soest (Ted), Kevin Scifres (Christina), Patrick Williams, Christie Batten (Joshua) and Douglas Sims (Amy); and seven great-grandchildren, Kyrston, Paige, Nicole, Taylor, Natalie, Dillon, Sarah, Emily and David. He was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy and sister Sharon Kinkade of Valdosta, Georgia.
Visitation will be held at 10 a.m. to noon today, Friday, Oct. 26, 2018 at the Elias-Kallal & Schaaf Funeral Home in Alton. A funeral service will begin at noon. Burial will follow at the Valhalla Memorial Park Cemetery in Godfrey with military rites provided by Alton VFW, Post 1308.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Evelyn's House, a BJC hospice house, on the campus of Barnes-Jewish West County Hospital in St. Louis.
Online condolences may be made at www.eliaskallalandschaaf.com.
