Della Mae Sims

Della Mae Ann Johnson was born on Monday, September 3, 1928 in Tullahoma, Tennessee to Sherman Marshall Johnson Sr. and Addie Greta Bell Holland. Though she was her parents' only child, she was the oldest of nine siblings. Della married Charles Buford Sims on October 18, 1945. They moved their family of 5 children to San Diego, California in 1953 where their burgeoning family tree bore 3 more branches.

Della Mae Sims was called home on May 31, 2014 at 85 years of age. She is survived by her siblings Cora Sanders, James and Jerry Bright; her loving husband Charles Buford Sims and their eight children: Charlotte Buchanan (Charles), Agnes Lathan (Steve), Sandra Jones (Robert), Annette Elcock, Charles Sims (Michelle), Patricia Lucas, Michael Sims, and Marlene Sims; niece and nephew Yolanda and Jimmy Tilford, who she also considered her children; several nieces and nephews, 20 grandchildren, 38 great- grandchildren, and one great-great grandchild.

Della Mae was a woman of creativity, passion, determination, and unfathomable inner strength. She died as she lived, on her own terms and will be greatly missed by all who knew her.