John Sanford “Sandy” Sims, Jr., 84, of Tifton passed away Monday, December 7, 2020, at Tift Regional Medical Center. His funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, December 12, 2020, in the Sanctuary of Tifton’s First Baptist Church with the Rev. Dr. Wayne Roe and Rev. Dorsia Atkinson officiating. A eulogy will be given by Carlton “Brother” Fleming. Mr. Sims will be laid to rest at Oak Ridge Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Saturday, December 12, 2020, in the Sanctuary of Tifton’s First Baptist Church from 1:00 p.m. until the hour of the service.
Ronnie Gay, Brother Fleming, Jimmy Allen, Bruce Spradlin, Jay Collins, John Prince, Donald Dorminey, JoAnn McCalvin, Buddy Cawley and Rusty Simpson will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Tifton Circuit Bar Association, David Rainwater and Buddy Bryan.
Born September 25, 1936 in Sasser, Georgia, Mr. Sims was the son of the late John Sanford Sims, Sr. and Ruth Webb Sims. While at the University of Florida, he was president of his fraternity, Phi Delta Theta, and was the first person to have this honor that was not from the state of Florida and he was a life-long Florida Gators fan.
Sandy graduated first in his class at Mercer University Law School. When he graduated, he had offers from the top three law firms in Atlanta and an offer to Clerk with the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals. He was a member of the Georgia Bar Association and an attorney and owner at Sims and Fleming Law Offices in Tifton and was voted Best Lawyer in Tifton six years in a row.
Sandy was a member of the Gridiron Secret Society at the University of Georgia; a member of the Ferry Lake Fishing Club; and a long-time member of First Community Bank/Synovus Bank. He served in the United States Army and was a member of Tifton's First Baptist Church. Many people remember Sandy as the “Voice of the Tiftarea Academy Panthers”.
Mr. Sims is survived by two sons and daughters-in-law, Sam and Susan Sims and Dr. Mac and Dionne Sims, all of Tifton; one daughter and son-in-law, Molly and Paul Manning of Milwaukee, Wisconsin; one sister, Joannah Sims of Chattanooga, Tennessee; nine grandchildren, John Sims, Mary Catherine Sims, Lily Sims, Lars Sims, Ridley Sims, David Manning, Sally Manning, Liam Manning and Michael Manning; and two great-grandsons, Ford Sims and Cohen Sims.
Flowers will be accepted or memorial gifts may be made to First Baptist Church of Tifton, 404 Love Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794; Warwick United Methodist Church, 199 Magnolia Street SE, Warwick, GA 31796; or Weston Baptist Church, 785 Main Street, Weston, GA 31832.