SIMS, Carol Jean

Southern Illinoisan (Carbondale IL) Thursday, October 11, 2012 Zeigler--Carol Jean Sims, 60, formerly of Zeigler, passed away in the early morning Tuesday, Oct 2, 2012, in John C Lincoln Deer Valley Hospital in Phoenix, after battling liver cancer for three months. Survivors include her husband of 33 years, Scott, of Black Canyon City, Ariz; son, Paul and wife, Laura, of San Antonio; son, John of Tempe, Ariz; daughter, Natalie of California; mother, Catherine Culley of Zeigler; sister, Cindy Strothman and husband, Kent, of Bluford; brother, Kevin Culley and wife, Dianne, of Nesbit, Miss.; and mother-in-law, Joann Doty of West Frankfort. She was preceded in death by her father, Kenneth Culley. Jean was born Jan 30, 1952, in Christopher to Kenneth and Catherine Culley. She attended Zeigler-Royalton High School and went on to receive her bachelor's and master's degrees in music performance and education from Southern Illinois University. She married Scott Sims in July, 1979, in Dallas, where their three children were born. After raising Paul, John and Natalie during their formative years, Jean spent her life teaching other children to love music. She served as children's choir director at Grace Bible Church in Dallas and then at Conroe Bible Church in Conroe, Texas, where she also taught general and choral music at Covenant Christian School. After moving to Peoria, Ariz., with her family in 1994, Jean directed the children's choir at West Valley Baptist Church. She taught music at Northwest Christian School in Phoenix for 13 years and then at Hillcrest Middle School in Glendale, Ariz., until May, 2012. Jean and Scott moved to Black Canyon City, Ariz., in 2007. She loved the desert landscape and spent many mornings taking long walks to enjoy the scenery. She taught piano lessons locally and sang in the choir at Living Water Lutheran Church. Jean was devoted to the Lord and was a constant support for her family, friends and students. She believed in their dreams; she encouraged and cherished them. Local services will be at 11am Saturday, Oct 13, in Church of Christ at Minor in Zeigler. Visitation will be from 10 to 11am Saturday at the church. Out-of-state services will be at 6pm Thursday, Oct 11, in Living Water Lutheran Church in Scottsdale, Ariz. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Carol Jean Sims Memorial Summer Music Camp Fund and mailed to Deer Valley High School, 18424 N. 51st Ave., Glendale, AZ 85308.