Services for John T. Sims will be at 11 a.m. Thursday at New Hope-The Vision Center, 418 Morgantown Road in Natchez, with Pastor G. Tyrone Haggard officiating. Burial will follow at Natchez National Cemetery. Visitation will be from 2 until 6 p.m. Wednesday at Lakeview Memorial Funeral Home.

Mr. Sims died Friday, May 11, 2012, at G.V. “Sonny” Montgomery Veterans Administration Medical Center in Jackson. He was 65.

Mr. Sims was born Oct. 27, 1946, in Sharon, Miss., to the late R.T. and Susie Sims. He graduated in 1968 from Bentonia High School and served in the Army in the Vietnam War.

He was employed at Marathon-LeTourneau for 21 years and worked at Cooper Lighting for 18 years. He was a member and deacon at Temple of Empowerment.

He was preceded in death by a brother, Benny Hawkins.

Survivors include his wife of 40 years, Nora Granderson Sims of Vicksburg; two children, Keith Sims of Yazoo City and Slovicka Thomas of Natchez; six sisters, Fannie Brown of Oakland, Calif., Betty Sims of Michigan City, Ind., Patricia Hawkins of Eagan, Minn., Bobbie Grace of Canton and Mable Lyons and Shirley Jackson, both of Vicksburg; six brothers, Robert Sims and Carl Sims, both of Vicksburg, Caleb Ware of Meridian, Willie Hawkins of Canton, Kenny Hawkins of Eagan and Bobby Hawkins of Charlotte, N.C.; six grandchildren; and nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.