Services for Leo Alvie Sims, 93, of Ada are 2:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Southwest Church of Christ in Ada, Floyd Kaiser and Bobby Johns will officiate. Burial will follow at Rosedale Cemetery.
Leo Alvie Sims, age 93, left this earth for his eternal home in Heaven Saturday, December 26th, 2015, at Cornerstone Hospital in Shawnee.
Leo was born on October 27, 1922 in Yeager, OK to C.A. and Mattie Sims. He married Alyene Baker on December 8, 1951 in Wewoka, OK. He and Alyene have been members of the Southwest Church of Christ in Ada for the last 50 years. In his 50 plus years of continuous service, he held many leadership roles including teacher and serving the congregation as an elder for 14 years. In addition, he was involved in the Prison Ministry at the Mack Alford Correctional Center in Stringtown, OK, and the Davis Correctional Center in Holdenville, OK for a total of 13 years.
In 1930, Leo and his family moved to Holdenville, OK where his father managed a grocery store for 38 years. Leo attended and graduated from Holdenville High School. He wrestled in 16 matches and won 13, lost 2 and tied 1 and in 1938, he won the District Championship. In high school, he wrestled and won more matches than any other wrestler in Holdenville school history and he received the Silver Cup Award. The Silver Cup remains in his home today as a memory of his athletic accomplishments. In 1941, he was selected by the coaches and teachers to share the Outstanding Athlete Award and was inducted into the Holdenville Hall of Fame.
After graduating from high school in 1941, Leo worked for two years in Seattle, Washington at the Boeing Aircraft Plant. In April of 1944, Leo joined the United States Marine Corps. He served two years in the Marines and a total of 17 months of his two years were spent overseas. He served in the Marshall Islands, Okinawa, and IE Shima. He received two Battleship Stars and a Presidential Citation Award.
Leo worked as both assistant manager and managers at Foodway Stores, Gibson’s, TG&Y, and Walmart. He worked a total of 27 years at Walmart and did not retire until 2013 at the age of 91. Overall, he spent a total of 59 years working in the retail industry.
Leo’s greatest enjoyment was teaching others about Christ with Alyene, spending time with his family, and building gliders, swings, and birdhouses that can be found all over Ada.
Leo is survived by his wife, Alyene, of Ada; brother, Gene Allen and his wife Joan , of Oklahoma City, OK; daughter, Paula Parker and her husband David, of Sherman, TX; daughter Nancy Dale and her husband Kent, of College Station, TX; four grandchildren, Jeffrey Parker and his wife April of The Colony, TX; Brian Parker and his wife Cristi, of Farmers Branch, TX; Matthew Dale, of College Station, TX; and Dasha Dale of College Station, TX; and two great-grandchildren, Presley and Dax Parker of The Colony, TX.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brothers, Jimmy Sims and Billy Sims.
The family of Leo wishes to thank the entire staff of Mercy Hospital in Ada, the staff of Cornerstone Hospital in Shawnee, and the entire membership of Southwest Church of Christ.
The family says those who wish may make memorials to the Southwest Church of Christ, 505 W. 17th, Ada, OK 74820; or the Program for Humanitarian Aid (Ukranium Orphanage Ministry), P. O. Box 93794, Southlake, TX 76092.
Obituaries may be viewed and online condolences sent to criswellfh.com.
Criswell Funeral Home, Ada
