Robert (Bob) Sims

Robert J. (Bob) Sims, age 84, of Meridian, passed away early Thursday morning, June 16, 2016, in the Lutheran Sunset Home in Clifton.

The family will receive friends on Sunday, July 3, 2016 at 1:00 P.M. at Lawson Funeral Home in Meridian. Come and go, or come and stay for services at 2:00 P.M. Wear your western duds or hunting camo, as long as you are comfortable. In lieu of flowers memorial donations may be made in Bob's name to Cal Farley's Boys Ranch: 600 SW 11th Ave., Amarillo, Texas 79101-3228.

Bob was born January 3, 1932, in Bronte, Texas. He was a son of the late Matthew Sims and Vesta Welch Sims. Bob was a fun-loving, adventurous outdoorsman; perhaps only slightly more important than hunting was his family. He was a devoted husband to his wife, Rena, and supportive father to his children, daughter Vikki, and son Matt.
A favorite family story is the night Bob was born, his sister, Doris was asked what she was doing and her reply was, "...waiting for my little brother to be born." Rather intuitive as 1932 Bronte, Texas had not seen digital imaging. Bob was a 1949 graduate of Moody High School in Moody, Texas where the family had later settled. After service as a controller with the United States Air Force, he graduated from Texas A&M in 1957. Somewhere in the interim, he managed to work for the Forest Service, and cowboy for the 6666 Ranch. As a county extension agent in San Angelo, Bob met his future bride Rena Post from Christoval and they married in 1957. They moved to Leakey where he was county extension agent for Real County. He and Rena then had two children, Vikki and Matt. Bob left the county for Cyanamid and ran a fertilizer plant at Bartlett, then began an out of state trek to Louisiana, Iowa, and then Nebraska before returning to Texas in the early 70's. He ran the Tri-State Chemical Co. in Brownfield for many years. Bob finally settled down in Meridian in the early 80's, where he and Rena remained. He ran Seller's Grain for several years, and later worked with the Clifton Livestock Commission. All the while, he crafted handmade knives under the name of the Divide Knife Co. paying homage to the Divide community in his beloved hill country. His knives display the divide symbol and are owned by all manner of people from bull rider, Ty Murrary, to President George W. Bush and are on display at Sul Ross University in Alpine, and the Texas Ranger Museum in Waco. However, he was most pleased when a working cowboy valued and used his worked. Eventually, he made knives his full-time employment. After being caregiver to his wife, Rena who succumbed to Alzheimer's he himself, became a victim. Bob was a longtime member of the NRA, the A&M Century Club, Knife-Maker's Guild, and was a Mason.

He is survived by a daughter, Vikki Garland, of West, and a son, Matt Sims and wife, Thu, of Grapevine; grandsons, Travis Hill and wife, Karen, of West, Garrett Garland of Waco; great-grandchildren, Cooper, Lukas, and Travis; and many dear nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Thoughts and memories may be shared with the family at www.lawsonfuneralhome.net

Arrangements by Lawson Funeral Home, Meridian, Texas, 254-435-2792