Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Simms, Jessie Braan July 29, 1995
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Diane Renfrow dianel14@gmail.com June 5, 2013, 7:08 pm

Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - Monday, July 31, 1995 
Jessie Braan Simms of the 2400 block of E. Virginia Beach Blvd., departed this
life Saturday, July 29, 1995 at a local nursing home.

She was born in Raleigh, N.C. on Nov. 24, 1905. Her early education was obtained
in the public schools of Norfolk, Va., Cincinnati, Ohio and Chicago, Ill. Later
she was graduated from St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Va. and Virginia
Union University in Richmond, Va. She studied intermittently at Virginia State
College and Columbia University.

Her teaching career was varied and interesting, having begun in Brunswick County
at the age of 16. She later taught in Norfolk at the Lott Carey School where she
served until her marriage in 1933 to Edward Paul Simms of Boston. Their home was
subsequently on the campus of Virginia Union University in Richmond, where her
husband taught. During a few intervening years, she was engaged at The Chambliss
Children's House, the teacher training school on the campus of Tuskegee
Institute, Alabama. She also taught educational psychology to teachers in
attendance in the college department. During her teaching career, she held
membership in the professional organizations.

Later, when Rev. Simms embraced the ministry, she worked with the Ministers'
Wives Council in Richmond and subsequently held offices with the Ministers'
Wives of Norfolk, Portsmouth and vicinity. Her membership was with First Baptist
Church, Bute Street, and its Dorcas Class. She also served as a captain during
rallies. She was responsible for the acceptance of Christ by many young people,
and that was her greatest joy.

Among the things she valued were her trips in pursuit of a more inclusive
Christianity when the Baptist World Alliance met in Tokyo, Japan as well as in
Stockholm, Sweden. Other pilgrimages covered 19 countries; outstanding among
them were Israel, Egypt, Greece, the Republic of China and Thailand.

She was preceded in death by her husband, the Reverend Doctor E. Paul Simms,
former pastor of First Baptist Church, and their son, E. Paul Simms Jr.

Left to mourn her death are a granddaughter, Terri, and her First Baptist Church
family.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Campaign 2000 Fund of First
Baptist Church, Bute Street.

Funeral services will be held Tuesday, Aug. 1, at 11 a.m. in First Baptist
Church, 418 E. Bute St. in Norfolk, with the Rev. Dr. Robert G. Murray
officiating. Interment will be in Calvary Cemetery . Graves Funeral Home is
handling arrangements. 

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