Barney L. Simms by Donald

June 7, 1945 - April 9, 2016

Funeral Service

Barney LaMarr Simms June 7, 1945 - April 9, 2016

Lying in State Saturday, April 16, 2016 10:00 AM Funeral Services Saturday, April 16, 2016 12 noon Antioch Baptist Church North 540 Cameron M. Alexander Blvd. NW Atlanta, GA 30318

Internment Westview Cemetery 1680 Westview Dr. SW Atlanta, GA 30310

Order of Service Presiding ............................................ The Reverend Eddie Bright Mount Zion Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA

Co Pastor Kenneth Alexander Antioch Baptist Church North, Atlanta, GA

PRELUDE ................................................... Authur L. McClenton PROCESSIONAL .............. Melody ........ Deacon Clarence Anderson SCRIPTURE READING

Old Testament: ................ The Reverend J. Scott Copeland Pastor, Prospect Baptist, Lafayette, GA

New Testament: ................... The Reverend Ervin Richards Pastor, Antioch Loving Spirit Baptist Church, Mableton, GA

PRAYER OF COMFORT ............... The Reverend Rodney K. Turner Pastor, Mount Vernon Baptist Church, Atlanta, GA

CELEBRATION IN SONG Soloist .............................. A Great Day ................. Ms. Lisa Irby and The Antioch Baptist Church North Choir REFLECTIONS / TRIBUTE ................... Congressman John Lewis Honorable Shirley Franklin Ms. Renee Glover Ms. Diane Baker-King CELBRATION IN SONG Soloist ....................................................... Ms. Kathleen Bertrand REFLECTIONS / TRIBUTE

......................... Ms. Gloria Leonard Mr. Mark Willard

POEM .............................................................. Mr. Hank Stewart REFLECTIONS / TRIBUTE ................. Mrs. Natalie Quiller-Jones Mr. Justin Simms Ms. Deilia Collier and Deacon Jerome Trimble ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ....................... Mrs. Brenda Muhammad CELEBRATION IN SONG Soloist ................. “We Shall Behold Him”......... Charlene Johnson Acc. The Reverend Ronald Terry New Fellowship Bastist Church, Macon, GA

EULOGY ............................ The Reverend Cameron M. Alexander RESSIONAL ..................................................... Mr. Zebulon Ellis

“It’s Time Reverend” – Barney L. Simms

Barney LaMarr Simms

Was a soft spoken, articulate gentleman of impeccable style and taste. Born on June 07, 1945 in Jacksonville, Florida, he was the youngest son of migrant laborers, Willie James and Mattie Lee Sims. Barney spent his childhood moving constantly from place to place as his parents sought work up and down the Atlantic coast; always ending up in Davenport, a rural segregated community in central Florida, where his parents worked in the citrus industry during the winter and spring months. An extremely bright and precocious child, Barney was educated in the Polk County Florida Public Schools and graduated with honors from Oakland High School in Haines City, in 1963. After graduation, he accepted an academic scholarship to Knoxville College (Tennessee) where he received his baccalaureate degree in English in 1968. After graduation, Barney worked in the library at Knoxville College for a year then accepted a Ford Foundation Fellowship to attend Atlanta University where he received his Master of Science degree in Library Sciences in 1971. Barney joined the faculty at DeKalb Community College in the fall of 1972, where he enjoyed a remarkable 30 year career. One of the first African-American faculty members to be hired, Barney quickly became “the voice” for the College’s minority faculty and “the” mentor, counselor, and confidante to hundreds of students of color. As the small isolated college grew into a large multi-campus institution and renamed Georgia Perimeter College, Barney assumed a variety of leadership positions and advanced through the professorial ranks from reference to head librarian; ending his illustrious career as an assistant professor and director of public service.

While at the College, Barney provided guidance for a number of years as president of the Faculty Senate, served on a variety of important committees, and several faculty and administrative search committees. Highly respected for his wisdom and his unique ability to build consensus, Barney served on three presidential search committees. Additionally, he participated in three Institutional Self-study Committees which led to the College’s reaffirmations in l972, l992, and 2002 by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. In 2003, Mr. Simms served on the Board of Regents of the University System of Georgia’s Task Force on Enhancing Access for African-American Males. Mr. Simms retired from Georgia Perimeter College in July 2002 and joined the Atlanta Housing Authority in August as the special assistant to the president and chief executive officer responsible for community and external affairs. He was quickly promoted to the position of senior vice president for community, governmental and external affairs.

Leader in the Community Well connected and highly respected as a community leader and social activist, Mr. Simms had a measured demeanor that often brought calmness to intense debates. He served the greater Atlanta Community in a variety of ways, supporting a number of causes, especially those causes related to children and neighborhood vitality. He was president of the Board of the Scottdale Child Development and Family Resource Center, president of the Board of the Fulton County Children’s

Advocacy Center, Secretary to the Board of the Atlanta Development Authority, Chairman of the City of Atlanta’s License Review Board, president of Neighborhood Planning Unit “R,” former president of the Atlanta Planning Advisory Board, president of the Bonnybrook Neighborhood Association, and a board member of the South DeKalb Business Incubator and the Chastain Horse Park. Chairman of Atlanta Victims Assistance Inc., Chair and Board Member of Fulton County DFCS, Board Member, of Andrew and Walter Young Family YMCA, Member Foundation Board of Atlanta Metropolitan State College, Atlanta Beltline Steering Committee Co-Chair, and President Atlanta Planning Advisor Board. Mr. Simms received numerous awards and citations for his civic and community leadership, including awards from the Atlanta and the Decatur Alumnae Chapters of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., the City of Atlanta, Fulton County, Clark Atlanta University, and the Atlanta Development Authority. He was a member of the 2001 Class of Leadership Atlanta. Barney was an avid gardener whose garden was often featured in the Atlanta Journal & Constitution. In 2002, his garden was profiled on the national television show, A Gardener’s Journal, on the House and Garden Channel.

Faithful Servant of God Baptized in 1960 at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church in Davenport, Florida by the late Reverend Alex Nelson, Barney began attending the Antioch Baptist Church North when he moved to Atlanta in 1969 and officially joined in 1971. Brother Simms was extremely involved in a wide variety of church activities. He was a trustee, an assistant to the pastor for planning, the church historian, and chaired countless special programs, church events, and significant anniversary programs. He adored and admired his pastor, Dr. Cameron M. Alexander, who was his mentor.

Witty, funny, yet supremely confident in the strength of his convictions, Barney had the unique ability to bring people together. Always an immaculate dresser with a discerning eye for style, when he entered a room or stood before a crowd, there was no question as to who was in charge.

Lover of All People Featured in the June 1977 issue of Ebony Magazine as one of the nation’s most eligible bachelors, Barney never married, but adopted and reared two children—Justin and Natalie—who were the joy of his life. His mother, Mrs. Mattie Lee Gilford Barney’s father Willie James Sims, Sr. and his oldest brother Willie James Sims, Jr. preceded him in death. Left to cherish Barney’s memories are his son, Justin Thomas Simms (Latrice); Leah, Brian, DeCorey, Jeremiah, his daughter, Natalie QuillerJones(James); Makenzie R. and Ava D. all of Atlanta; his brother, George Mills, Jr.; his sister, Inez Simms, a niece, Twila Simms; a nephew, Willie James Simms, III; two grand nephews, Christopher LaMarr Fields, and Joshua Mills; two grand nieces, Kenya Mills and Tiffany Fields, all of Davenport, Florida; a host of additional Nieces and Nephews, cousins and devoted caring friends, Freddie Styles and Derek Keith Quiller of Atlanta, GA, Dacha Eberhart, his Loyal and best friend who was nearer and dearer to him like a son; and of course the members of his beloved Antioch Baptist Church Family.

Devoted Family Man

Pall Bearers Marlon Carson Michael Collins Greg Gordon

Keith Morton Fred Ramos Larry Stephens

Honorary Pall Bearers Shean L. Atkins Cory Braxton Randy Butler Carl Christian Dacha Eberhart

Dr. Howard Grant Milton Jones Marvin Nesbitt Keith Quiller Freddie Styles

Flower Bearers Justine Boyd Cecelia Corbin Hunter Tonya Desseseau Jessica Doward Joyce English Honorable Shirley Franklin Renee Glover Cynthia Jones Parks Helen Lewis Pam Smith

Zena Smith-Guiles Terri Morton Kaylin Morton Sharon Mott Evelyn Roberts Lovette Russell Ingrid Saunders Jones Diane Smith Rosa Jean Tomlinson Maudette Twyman

Acknowledgements The Family and Friends of Barney L. Simms wishes to express their deep appreciation for your kind expression of sympathy. You might have sent a lovely card, or sat quietly in a chair. Perhaps you sent those beautiful flowers, that we saw sitting there. Perhaps you spoke the kindest words, as any friend could say. Perhaps you were not there at all, just thought of us that day. Whatever you did to console our hearts, we thank you so much for whatever part.

Funeral Services Murray Brothers Funeral Home 1199 Utoy Springs Rd SW Atlanta, GA 30331

Church Services

Antioch Baptist Church North 540 Cameron M. Alexander Blvd. N.W. Atlanta, GA 30318

Internment Westview Cemetery 1680 Westview Dr. S.W. Atlanta, GA 30310

Change of Address

Dear Family & Friends: I want you to know I’ve moved. I received a call from God, the Chief Architect, who informed me that my new house is ready, and I can move immediately. I just didn’t have time to give notice. You all know I have been sending up bricks and timber in my own way, packing up a little at a time, getting ready to go, but there were so many things to do. I also had to wait for Him to let me know when he had finished because some of my bricks and timber did not meet His strict building code. Well, my new house is finished and it’s such a beautiful sight to behold. It’s located in an exclusive estate area and it’s behind beautiful pearly gates, just off a serene celestial shore, of course the streets are paved with gold. There is no sun or moon because Jesus the Lamb, is the light. The water here is crystal clear and the fruit from the trees has healed me. Every day here is Sunday, I’ve been told. I lived in several places before my new house was prepared and none of the previous addresses can compare to my new home. There is peace, joy and happiness here with no pain or cares of the world to bear. No strife or discontent, there’s only sweet serenity everywhere. I want to go exploring around my new home, but I have to get fitted for my wings. Let me give you my new address because I recommend that you make plans to live here:

NEW ADDRESS: Barney L. Simms 2138 Angel Choir Circle Jerusalem, Heaven

Oh yes, let me tell you this family and friends, I don’t have a telephone but just call Jesus, if you don’t have His number, He is listed in the good book on every page. Contact Him, call from your heart. Till we meet again,