Sims, Donald Wayne

Donald Wayne Sims, 77, of Cedar Rapids, formerly of Shueyville, died Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, in his home. Services will be 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 7, at Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids, located at 2121 Bowling St. SW. Burial will follow in Cedar Valley Memorial Gardens, Cedar Falls. Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Friday at Brosh Chapel in Cedar Rapids. 

Donald was born Sept. 17, 1934, in Ionia, the son of Harlow and Maude (Collins) Sims. He married Margie E. Fuller on Aug. 22, 1953, at Nazarene Church in Cedar Falls. Don worked as a plasterer most of his life. In early years he worked construction for Casteel and Wall Plastering. In 1967, he went to work for University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics in Iowa City. He took early retirement in 1992. He then worked for Pearson Plastering Co. for another 10 years. 

He loved animals, camping, cutting wood for his outside furnace, mowing a lot and helping all his friends and they reciprocated. When he went camping he made sure his four granddaughters went along.   

Don is survived by his wife, Margie; children, Ralph (Kim) Sims, Linda (Mike) Gregory and Ronald (Sharon) Sims, all of Cedar Rapids; seven grandchildren, Rachel, Cara, Joshua, Tammy, Beth, Luke and Mellisa; eight great-grandchildren; and a sister, Marilyn Mills of Arizona.

He was preceded in death by an infant son, Gary; two brothers, Dallas Sims and Lewis Sims and two in infancy; and two sisters, Marlys Sims and Margie Fuller and three in infancy.

Memorials may be directed to Living Waters Church of the Nazarene in Cedar Falls or to Witty Kitty Veterinarian Clinic in Solon.

Online condolences may be expressed to the family at

Published Jan. 6, 2012, in The Gazette