Francis Allen Sims Jr.

Allen was born on August 21, 1940 in Yakima, Washington to Dr. Francis Allen Sims Sr. and Maxine Ewart Sims. He attended Terrace Heights Elementary and graduated from Moxee High School in 1959. After high school, he attended Yakima Valley Community College for a year and went on to marry his first wife, Mardeana Ayers. The couple had two children, Susan Kay and Francis Allen Sims III. At this time, he owned and operated Allen’s Motorcycle Shop in Yakima. He would tune on any motor he could find down at the drag races and the motorcycle races in his free time. He later went on to work for Superior Asphalt Group Co.’s where he worked for close to 40 years as manager of all maintenance facilities throughout the companies.

If there was a Ph.D. given in Mechanics, Allen would have earned it. He was a master mechanic, and he taught and mentored many young men over the years. When somebody showed up with broken down equipment he would always reply with a grin, “it will be ready in the morning.”

In 1981 he married the love of his life, Diane Bradley, and in doing so, he acquired three more children: Dixie, Bobby, and Dwight Moriarty. Allen was the kindest, gentlest, and sweetest husband, father, step-father, and grandfather a family could ask for. Raising five children was no picnic, but every year Diane and Allen would run away from home; their favorite get-away spot was Hawaii where they spent numerous vacations (without their children!). In addition to his many trips to Hawaii, he also enjoyed an annual fishing trip to Alaska accompanied by his brother Brian and his son.

Allen passed away on Sunday, August 7, 2016 after a long battle with dementia. He was preceded in death by his parents, Francis and Maxine Sims, and his first wife, Mardeana Ayer Sims. He is survived by his loving wife Diane Sims, a daughter, Susan Kay Pena (John), a son, Francis Allen Sims III (Nicole), a daughter, Dixie Andreas (Joe), a son, Bob Moriarty (Kelli), a son, Dwight Moriarty, and a brother, J. Brian Sims (Bobby). He is also survived by seven grandchildren: Jennifer, Adam, Royce, Shane, Shaelyn, Derek, Natalie and Nate, who will all miss their “Papa” dearly.

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, August 13, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Langevin El Paraiso Funeral Home. To share a memory of Allen, please visit www.lepfuneralhome.com.