Reggie Sims, Loved Freehold Firefighter, Volunteer, Mourned At 51

FREEHOLD, NJ — Reggie Sims was the kind of man who gave his heart and soul to everything he did, whether it was serving his community, serving his church or taking care of his family. And it is what people are remembering about the Freehold man as they mourn his death.

Reginald "Reggie" L. Sims of Freehold died Sunday, Aug. 5, at theUniversity of Pennsylvania hospital, according to his obituary on the Higgins Memorial Home website. He was 51 years old.

The Freehold Fire Department, where Sims was captain and had been a member for 27 years including serving as the department president, posted a tribute to him on Facebook, saying, "Reggie was a man of passion — passionate about his family, passionate about his faith, and passionate about all organizations in which he was involved. The core values and principles in which he instilled in us will long survive him. Reggie, we love you. Our hearts and prayers are with the Sims family."

More than 150 people commented on the tribute, some sharing their memories.

"Twenty-five years ago Reggie worked in the Y-Boro Summer Rec program," Jane Drexler Sharp wrote. "He would take my son to the firehouse to sit on the trucks and pet the dog. My son called the firehouse 'Reggie's House.' A big loss for the family and for Freehold."

"You were not just my friend, you were my source of inspiration and motivation," Ryan Bailey wrote. "You will always stay alive and smiling in our memories and hearts. May your soul rest in peace my dear friend."

"You were one of a kind," Facebook user Scott Pm wrote.

According to a 2016 GoFundme, Sims had received a double lung transplant at UPenn hospital after being diagnosed with BOOP, Bronchiolitis Obliterans Organizing Pneumonia, a disease that damages the lungs. He had been on anti-rejection medication ever since and returned regularly for followup therapy and treatment, according to the GoFundme.

In addition to his service with the fire department, Sims had served with the Freehold Borough Board of Adjustment, the YMCA, the Housing Authority, on the Recreation Commission, Little League, and Colonial Basketball League.

Sims, who was borm on May 27, 1967, was a 1985 graduate of Freehold Borough High School who finished in the top third of his class and was voted the most athletic. He attended Ashland University in Ohio on a partial football scholarship. Reggie was a three-year letterman with the Ashland Eagles, winning three conference championships. He received a bachelor's degree in criminal justice with a minor in sociology in 1989.

From 1990-1993 he coached softball and football at Freehold Township High School. He then went on to Rutgers University where he was a graduate assistant football coach, and was promoted to director of football operations, a position he held for 10 years.

Upon leaving Rutgers, Sims was a salesman for White Rose Food Distribution for six years. He also held management positions at Walmart and Saker ShopRite. He had worked for Freehold Borough from 2011 until the time of his death.

"Reggie confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior at an early age while attending Bethel A.M.E. Church in Freehold," his family wrote in his obituary. He had held several leadership positions in the church, including trustee. He later joined Harmony Ministries USA in Lakehurst, where he was an active member with his wife and children.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife, Delilah Sims; his daughters, Chamara Adams, Cydney, Cierra and Camryn Sims; his son-in-law, Emmanuel Batista; his grandson, Bryan Batista; his mother, Eva Sims; his brother and sister-in-law, Jaye and Danielle Sims; his sisters, Pam Sims and Gerri Sims, seven nieces, three nephews and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

The viewing will be held on Thursday, Aug. 9 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Bethel AME Church, 3 Waterworks Road, Freehold, with a firemen’s service at 7 p.m. The funeral service will be held on Friday, Aug. 10 at 11 a.m. at Harmony Ministries USA, 4 Chestnut St., Lakehurst, NJ 08733. There will be a viewing from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. before the service.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Freehold Firemen Memorial Fund. Checks can be made out and sent to the Freehold Fire Department, 49 West Main St., Freehold, NJ 07728, and a note should be left in the check memo that it is for the memorial fund in honor of Reggie Sims.

Donations also can be made to the Clyde F. Barker Penn Transplant House. Click here to donate online.

Higgins Memorial Home, Freehold is in charge of arrangements.

Click here to get Patch email notifications on this or other local news articles or get Patch breaking news alerts sent right to your phone with our new app. Download here. Have a news tip? Email karen.wall@patch.com

Follow us on Facebook. Click here.

Photo of Reggie Sims by Freehold Fire Department, published with permission