Albert Sims Sr. died Wednesday, Sept. 5, 2012, at his home. He was 96.

Mr. Sims was born July 8, 1916, in Vicksburg. He was a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church of Villa Nova.

He served as a First Class Private in the Army from 1943 until 1946. He was a veteran of World War II, receiving the Victory Medal, the American Campaign Medal and a Good Conduct Medal.

Mr. Sims was a member of the Illinois National Guard and a life member of the American Legion Tyner-Ford Post 213.

He was a 1950 graduate of the Unique Institute of Cleaning Trades in Chicago. He was a member of the MECCA No. 2 lodge, serving as a Mason and Shriner. He served as a deputy sheriff of Kankakee County in Illinois from 1960 until 1962 and had also worked for Perfection Gear of Harvey, Ill.; Rogers Cartage Co. of Chicago; McDonalds of Vicksburg; John Barnes Contracting Services at International Paper Company; and for Dr. Joe and Betty Ross and Dr. Janet Fisher of Vicksburg.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dave and Sarah Sims; his stepmother, Martha Ann Sims; one stepdaughter, Sandra Brooks; a grandson, Anthony Sims; three sisters, Delores Smith, Blanche Williams and Willie Woods; two brothers, Floyd Sims and Leroy Sims; and a wife, Edith Sims.

Survivors include his wife, Lucy S. Sims; four daughters, Debra S. Harris, Brenda S. Coleman, Beverly S. Kelly and Loretta S. Lott, all of Chicago; one son, Albert Sims Jr. of Chicago; one stepdaughter, Edna S. Brooks of Vicksburg; two stepsons, Willie Spratley and George Spratley Jr., both of Vicksburg; three sisters, Gladys Cross of Vicksburg, Velma Hardwick of Bolton and Thelma Dukes of Atlanta; one brother, Fred Sims of Vicksburg; nine grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, friends and other relatives, including Edward Huell of Vicksburg and members of the Molly, Sims, Jones and Johnson families.

Services will be at 10 a.m. Saturday at Cool Spring M.B. Church with the Rev. Richard Hopkins officiating. Burial will follow at Cedar Hill Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5 until 6 tonight at W.H. Jefferson Funeral Home.