Margaret Lorraine Kelley Sims went to her forever home to meet her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ face to face at the age of 93 years old. She was born February 24, 1932, in Evergreen, Alabama, in Conecuh County to A. E. Kelley and Vernice Kindig Kelley and departed this earth on January 26, 2026.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Maxie D. Sims, her parents, Aubrey and Vernice Kelley, her sister, Esther Kelley Gandy, and a great grandchild, Michael Anthony Sims. She is survived by her children Barry (Karen) Sims, Belinda Sims, and Brian (Melanie) Sims. She was Grandma to 8 grandchildren, 15 great grandchildren, and 7 great great grandchildren. She is also survived by her niece Mary Esther (Mike) Roper, various sisters-in-law, brothers-in-law,
nieces, nephews, friends, church family, and former students. She was married to Maxie for 52 years. They were married June 29, 1951, at the Mobile Gospel Tabernacle by Dr. Henry Grube. They resided in Mobile, AL, their entire marriage but enjoyed
many joyous years spending time at the family cabin at Lake Panasoffkee, FL. The legacy continues as 4 current generations still enjoy our time spent at the Lake Panasoffkee cabins. The Mobile Gospel Tabernacle moved and changed names to Greystone Bible Church where she remained a very faithful and active member until her health slowed her attendance. At the time of her passing, she was the oldest member at Greystone.
She started teaching at Greystone Christian School in 1965 and taught for 24 years until Greystone closed in 1989. She was the bookstore manager for many years, taught Bible throughout her tenure and also taught Home Economics for multiple years. Her students always had a special place in her heart as she considered her classes and students to be part of her ministry for the Lord. Her number one handwritten goal for the 7th, 8th and 10th grade
Bible classes - “Stress salvation all year long and try to win the unsaved people to the Lord.” After leaving Greystone she continued to pray for her students daily, by name while her memory was intact, and later as “her students” because she said, “The Lord knows who they are.” Her face would light up when she saw or heard from one of her former students.
She was a good cook and for all the years that someone came to the house, they would be offered (multiple times) some of that home cooked food until they relented and accepted her
motherly Southern hospitality. Even after her memory started to fail and she might not recognize those who stopped by to visit her, she would continually ask if they were hungry or wanted something to eat.
A special thank you to the nurses and aides at SouthernCare Hospice for the special attention and loving care they provided during the home hospice phase of care.
Her hope, desire and prayer would be for each of you reading this to know her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, the way that she did so that each of you can say, “It is well with my soul” like it is for her.
Visitation and Funeral Services will be at Greystone Bible Church 5350 Girby Road, Mobile, AL, 36693. Visitation and Funeral services will be held on Friday, January 30, 2026 from 9:30 a.m. until funeral service time of 11:00 a.m. Interment will be held at Mobile Memorial Gardens 6040 Three Notch Road, Mobile,
AL, 36619.
In lieu of flowers donations can be made to Greystone Bible Church in honor of Margaret Sims.
