Barney Simms grew up in a close-knit Florida family. He was born in Jacksonville but grew up mostly in Davenport. His parents, migrant workers, moved around for work, which meant sometimes Simms and his siblings had to pitch in as well. It’s a lesson he practiced the rest of his life.
“Barney saw that with determination and education, an individual could rise to prominence, but he never forgot where he came from,” said longtime friend Brenda J, Muhammad, executive director of Atlanta Victim Assistance, where Simms was chairman of the board.
He rubbed shoulders with Atlanta movers and shakers and sat on many boards, “but he never used that for himself. He always used it to help others. Barney would never ask for himself,” she said.
Simms, 70, died April 9. His funeral service will be at noon Saturday at Antioch Baptist Church North, 540 Cameron M. Alexander Blvd. N.W.
“He always said nobody owes you anything,” said his son, Justin Simms of Hampton. “You have to work really hard for what you want. It’s not about life being fair but about you doing what needs to be done.”
His life was a roadmap for doing just that.
He left Florida as a young man, earned a degree in English at Knoxville College and received a Ford Foundation Fellowship to study library science at Atlanta University. He worked as a librarian for many years.
He served on several boards and was president of the Neighborhood Association of Southwest Atlanta and Atlanta Planning Advisory Board, and chairman of Neighborhood Planning Unit-R.
In 2012, he retired from the Atlanta Housing Authority after more than a decade. He rose through the ranks to chief of governmental and external affairs under former CEO Renee Glover. Glover praised Simms’ “tremendous skills and concern for the residents of public housing. We met when he was expressing concern about the effectiveness of the the Section 8 Program,” and was so impressive she recruited him to work for her.
U.S Rep. John Lewis called Simms, who he knew for nearly 50 years, “one of the nicest human beings I’ve ever met … He was a doer, not just a talker. It’s a great loss to this city .”
Also to those who knew him.
Marvin Nesbitt worked with Simms at the AHA. “Half of the people I know here in Atlanta are the result of Barney,” said Nesbitt, now vice president of programs for Action Ministries. “Half of the professional contacts I have are because of Barney. I owe it all to him.”
When Nesbitt got custody of his 12-year-old nephew, Simms helped him through the adjustment, sending resources, suggesting he enroll his nephew in different programs, and stressing education and church.
When Nesbitt’s mother visited, she insisted on meeting the man who had helped her son and grandson. Simms was an avid antiques collector, and she admired a bedroom suite in his home. Simms gave it to her. “That’s just Barney,” Nesbitt said.
Natalie Quiller-Jones, of Hampton, knew another side of her father. He loved the arts, reading, photography, travel, gardening and music, especially Diana Ross. He once persuaded her to dress up like the famous singer for Halloween.
He was father and friend. “I could talk with him about anything. There were no secrets,” she said. She wishes her young daughters had more time with their grandfather. “I want my daughters to know that their grandfather cared about people. He loved people and so many people loved him.”
Survivors include two children, daughter Natalie Quiller-Jones (James) and Justin Simms (Latrice); and six grandchildren, Makenzie R. Jones, Ava D. Jones of Hampton; and Brian, DeCorey, Jeremiah and Leah Simms; a brother, George Simms of Davenport, Fla.; and a sister, Inez Simms, also of Davenport.
Related:
Community “heartbroken” over shooting death of Barney Simms, community activist
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