Barbara Joy Sims

Barbara Joy Sims, 90, of Arlington, Texas passed away peacefully at her home on June 27, 2023. She was born in Chicago, IL on August 15, 1932. She moved to Minneapolis with her family as a toddler and graduated from Washburn High School in 1950. She attended McMurray College for Women in Illinois and the University of Minnesota. She became a flight attendant with Northwest Orient Airlines where she met her future husband, Les Gorder, who was a diplomatic courier. They were married December 27, 1955. Barbara owned and operated L’Unique, a designer boutique in Edina, MN for 13 years. Subsequently she became an editorial contributor for Better Homes and Gardens and a photography stylist for General Mills. Her first marriage ended in divorce in 1972 and she married Bob Sims in Minneapolis on December 21, 1974. She and Bob moved to Arlington, Texas where Bob brought his crowd control business to the newly formed Texas Rangers Baseball team. Barbara practiced interior design for 40 years in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area and began her own line of decorative pillows designed with antique fabrics, tapestries and fringes. She enjoyed traveling to Paris to buy materials and selling her pillows at trade shows throughout Texas and New York City. In 1986 Barbara attended Parson’s School of Design and studied History of Furniture at Musee des Arts Decoratifes in Paris. Barbara and Bob designed and built several homes in Arlington, the last of which she lived in for 37 years. She was a lover of the arts and had been a docent at the Kimbell Art Museum in Ft. Worth for 30 years. She continued to attend art openings and lectures until her death. Barbara had a true passion for and understanding of classical music; she played the piano, was a member of the Minnesota Orchestra Symphony Ball committee and attended both the Ft. Worth and Dallas Symphonies and the Van Cliburn Piano competitions regularly.

Barbara’s strongest love was her family. She is survived by her daughter, Tenley van der Wal and son in law Onne van der Wal of Jamestown, RI, grandchildren, Read van der Wal of Los Angeles, CA, Billy van der Wal of Portland OR, and Adrian van der Wal of Jamestown, RI and her sister Judy Seabrook (Derek) of Homosassa, FL, step daughter, Mari Sullivan (Jeff) of Dallas, TX and step son William Sims of Ft. Worth, TX and several nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her sister Jane Gaasedelen of St. Petersburg, FL and her brother, LeRoy Lobstein of Eden Prairie, MN.

Barbara was often considered the life of the party and thrived on vibrant, philosophical conversations. She insisted on surrounding herself by beauty, whether it was in her own home in Arlington, visiting her family in Jamestown, RI, listening to her favorite classical music or entertaining her group of eclectic friends. She lived a beautiful life filled with abundant joy.

A celebration of life will be held at St. Stephen church in Ft. Worth, TX at a later date.