Services for Betty Sue Walker Sims will be Saturday, Jan. 27, 2024, at 2 p.m. at the Town Creek Cemetery Pavilion. Betty was born on May 11, 1935, in Anniston, Alabama, and passed away surrounded by her daughters on Jan, 18, 2024, after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. She grew up in Anniston as the eldest daughter of three children. She met and married her husband, John Sims, at the age of 18 and followed alongside of him to Boston, Massachusetts, during his time in the service. They returned to Anniston to raise their three daughters – Laura, Teresa and Karen – before moving to places like Dothan, Alabama, Birmingham, Panama City, Florida, Homasassa, Florida, and Decatur, Alabama. While in Anniston, Dothan and Birmingham, Betty worked for many years as a dental hygienist. She loved her patients and co-workers and could leave a mouth sore for days after her flossing job. Every summer she and her husband would take their grown children and grandchildren for a weeklong stay in Panama City. They eventually purchased a golf villa in Panama City where the entire family spent many wonderful weekends and made countless memories swimming, playing cards, eating seafood and enjoying putt-putt. Betty eventually moved to Auburn after her husband’s passing and spent the past 10 years yelling her head off at Auburn basketball, baseball and softball games. She loved her weekly card game with the girls as well as her service in a local PEO group. She was especially proud to have eight Auburn grads in her family.
Known to many in her family as Grandmom, Betty was opinionated and head strong. She made THE BEST Thanksgiving dressing and was a fantastic cook in general. Anything from roast beef and gravy, salmon patties, lemon pie – you name it – if Grandmom cooked it, it was going to be great. She had fabulous taste in clothes and cars. Her oldest grandkids remember her scooting around in her 50s in a 280z and then later, when she was in her 60s, in a white Chevy Camaro. She lived a long, full, and active life up until the very end.
Betty is survived by her daughters: Laura McCullars (Mike), Teresa Cooper, Karen Waters (Jeff); her brother: Bubba Walker; eight grandchildren: Jennifer Johnson, Jason McCullars, Drew McCullars (Jessica), Josh McCullars (Hannah), Dana Newton (Josh), Katie Hines (Hunter), Will Waters, Walker Waters; five great-grandchildren: Jack Johnson, Peyton McCullars, Mattie Johnson, Elizabeth Hines, James Hines; a niece Sandy Simpson; and several nephews, Brian Walker (Sylvia), Michael Walker (Jennifer), Todd Walker, and Elliott McMichael. She was preceded in death by her father: Kenneth Walker; her mother: Louise Sorrell; her sister, Mary Evelyn McMichael; her husband of 54 years, John Sims; her son-in-law, Dr. Charles Cooper; and her great-granddaughter, Isabel McCullars.
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Moving Forward Methodist Church at P.O. Box 2491, Auburn, AL 36831.