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Gene Alan Sims was born March 22, 1934 in Holdenville, Oklahoma to C.A. (Charley) and Mattie Sims (Townsend). He was the youngest of 4 boys. He worked in his dad’s grocery store while growing up and learned how to buy and sell at an early age which helped guide him later in life. Between his Junior and Senior year he was nominated to attend a week long session (BOYS STATE) on the running of government business etc. to be held in Norman. He went to a regional scholastic meet held in Ada and won first place in geometry. He graduated from Holdenville High School finishing in the top 10 of his class and was also named “ALL-ROUND BOY” of his graduating class. He went to East Central College and later transferred to Oklahoma University and graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Shortly thereafter he went into the Army and after basic and advanced training he was transferred to Korea where he spent the next 16 months with the 7th Infantry Division. He was stationed at Camp Casey which was located north of Seoul just this side of the DMZ. He attended a month long NCO training course and finished 7th out of a class of 89. He was promoted to E-4 shortly after. He received a Letter of Commendation for this achievement. He later advanced to the grade E-5 while overseas. After returning to the States he served 4 years in the active and inactive reserves. He was promoted to E-6 (SSgt) while serving with the 45th Infantry Division in Holdenville. He met and married Patricia JoAnn Elliott, daughter of H.H. (Cobb) and Lucille Elliott of Holdenville. From this marriage came 3 wonderful children, Chris, Robin, and Todd. They spend about as much time in Holdenville as they did in Oklahoma City where they were born. Gene worked for H & R Block for one tax season and then went to work for Western Electric Company. He started in the accounting department and after four years transferred to the Computer Department where he spent the next 32 years as a computer programmer, rising to the position of Senior Programmer. He liked to read, do puzzles, worked cryptograms (He was a member of the American Cryptogram Association), go deer hunting (he never shot a deer, but he liked to camp out), high school reunions (especially OFR), coffee meetings (before and after retirement), playing with his kids, family gatherings, Pioneer meetings, photography (especially sunrise and sunsets), leatherwork (his best effort was a reproduction of The Last Supper). He was a lifetime member of the Hughes County Historical Society. He and JoAnn were lifetime members of the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum. He is preceded in death by his parents, his brothers Jimmie, Leo, and Bill, his son Chris and his beloved wife of 60 years JoAnn. He is survived by his daughter Robin and son Todd and his wife Marsha.
