Paul Bates Simms

Sunrise October 14, 1948

Sunset July 23, 2022

Paul B. Simms was born in Queens New York. He was the middle child of Pauline and Martin Simms.

Paul grew up in New York City with his dog trouble and his two siblings. He graduated from High school and attended The City College of New York, where he was one of the founders of the Tech News Paper and Co-Founder of the National Black Science Student Organization.

After graduating from college, Paul moved to California to attend UCSD medical school and began working for the county health department. Here he would work for the next twenty three years, earning his master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Michigan and retiring as the Deputy Health Director for the County of San Diego.

Paul went on to have a multi-faceted career in Health Care Administration, after retirement serving as Executive Director of the Comprehensive Health Center, Director of Telehealth for Loma Linda University, Interim Dean of the College of Allied Health at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science, and a Visiting Scholar at Claremont University.

Paul received numerous awards and accolades during his long career in the Health Care field including the first Jay Dortman Award from the American Public Health Association (1979) for demonstrating leadership as a young public health professional under 30; The National Medical Association Mickey Leland Award; The Public Private Partnership Award from the Merck Public Healthcare Congress; The 2013 Health Hero Award from the California Black Health Network; The San Diego Voice and Viewpoint 2021 Unsung Heroes Award, Just to name a few.

Paul is survived by his spouse of 41 years Denise Adams-Simms, his children Jamala Simms (Freddie Wagley), Sy Adams Simms, Paul Gordon Simms, his brother Martin L. Simms III (Mary), sister Mildred Simms, brother-in-law Richard Adams (Joyce), Aunt Sondra Harris, and nieces and nephews Mary, Martin, Ricky, and Keith. The fullness of Paul’s life blessed him with many relatives and friends.

He will be missed, and his memory will live in our hearts always.