Veteran Services Commission 2040 S. Church Street Spartanburg, SC 29306 US
About Walter
The Beginning of Someone Great
Walter Laddie Sims was born to John and Katherine Mooreman-Sims on April 28,1919 in Union, SC. To this family 15 children were born, Richard, Arthur, Willie, Carrie, Katherine Sims, John Henry, Charlie (Shep), Vera, ST-Park, Sallie, Katherine Furguson-Hawkins, Lois, Rosetta, Anne Bell and Furman Sims.
The Success Story
While living in Detroit, he worked at the Chrysler Assembly Plant until 1958. Then Walter moved to St.Louis where he received his license to teach “Auto Body Mechanic” from St. Louis University in 1970. He also was able to open Sims Auto Body training school until 1980. Walter continued to own and manage Sims Auto Body Repair Shop at 6142 Page in Wellston, Missouri where he trained young black men in becoming auto repairmen until he retired in June 2016. He sold the auto body shop to one of his former students once he moved to South Carolina to live with his son David and his wife Christy where they provided a loving home until his death. Walter Sims was honored with the “Greatest St. Louis Honor Flight, Inc. to Washington, DC to tour the World War II Memorial in 2010.
Leaving A Legacy
Mr. Sims leaves to mourn his death to his good friend Elder Lucille B Mitchell in Wildwood, MO. His Children Joe Louis (Emma) Grayson, of Orangeburg, SC, David Dempsey (Christy) Cohen, of Greer, SC, Margaret Hutchinson, of St. Petersburg, FL, Crystal Chunn, of Detroit, MI, Sylvia Walteena Richardson, of Detroit, MI, and Walter Jr. Sims, of Mississippi; one special Goddaughter Earnestine (Tina) Grayson of Greer, SC. Walter made many great connections through out his life, and he will surely be missed.