Elma Jean Sims

Jean Sims was born on June 12, 1945, in Grapeland, Texas. She was the oldest of three daughters born to Rev. Elbert Lee and Erma Stubblefield. She graduated from Jack Yates High School, where she served as a battalion sponsor for the Jack Yates ROTC and was a recipient of the prestigious Worthing scholarship. She also graduated from Dallas Baptist University, earning her B.A. in Psychology at the age of 50. She excelled in everything she did. She was one of the first Black students to attend the University of Houston. She was also a member of Community First Baptist Church in Dallas, Texas, where she served as the youth director and established the Youth Speech Choir.

Jean joined the workforce early as a telephone operator with AT&T, eventually moving into management. She worked there for 17 years. She worked as a legal office manager for the law firm of her cousin, Wayne Hicks Sr. She also worked as a community liaison/social worker for Communities in Schools, primarily in the Irving Independent School District, from which she retired.

Jean was called to the ministry in August 2000. Her calling was to mentor young women. She was a member of the W.O.W. ministry at Friendship West Baptist Church, pastored by Rev. Frederick D. Haynes, Ill. She eventually joined Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship, where she has been a member since 2009 and has served as a table facilitator at Tuesday Morning Bible Study. She also served passionately as a member of the Soul Patrol. Before being called to ministry, Jean was a community activist.

Among other things, she served in the following capacities: board member and education chair of the NAACP on the state and local level, educational chair and vice-chair of the Dallas Black Chamber of Commerce, chair of the Dallas County Historical Commission, member of the speaker's bureau for the Organ Donation Foundation, and board member of the Greater Dallas Community of Churches.

She is preceded in death by her father and mother, Rev. Elbert Lee Stubblefield and Erma Mae Stubblefield; her late husband, Earl Reeves; her stepson, Steve Reeves; and her nephew, Jamey Rider. She is survived by her husband, Robert ("Bob"); two children, Anthony and Cynthia by a previous husband, Wilbert Pete, who preceded her in death; stepchildren Tawanna and Delbert by a previous marriage to Earl Reeves who preceded her in death; two grandchildren, Bianca and Johnny 8. Pope Ill; her granddaughter-in-law, Sherry Pope; her great-granddaughter, Alanna Bradley; her great-grandsons, Gabriel Maurice Pope, Ethan Pope, and Brayden Pope; two sisters, Lawanna Hart and her husband, Lloyd Hart, and Beverly Brown and her husband, Norman Brown; her stepmother, Ardella Stubblefield; stepsisters Cassandra, Debra, and Paulette; her niece Tiffanie Rider and her nephews Caleb and Daniel Rider; her nephew, Nathan Hart, his wife, Blanche, and their son, Andrew Hart; and a host of other nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She will be sorely missed.

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