A young Vivian Sims had moved to Augusta in 1949 to live with an aunt and uncle when her neighbor arranged for a meeting with a young Navy veteran.
Just shy of 5-feet-8-inches tall, the former Miss Surrency didn’t like to look down on shorter men, and her suitor stood right at 6-feet tall, making him the right height for her.
“The first thing I said to her was ‘Hey, Shorty,’” said Howard Sims, who wouldn’t call it love at first sight on that April day but agreed he liked everything about her.
On Aug. 19, the Sims celebrate their 75th anniversary. Mrs. Sims was 17, and Mr. Sims was 20 when they married.
Mr. Sims asked his intended to marry him several times before taking her out in a boat at Augusta’s Lock and Dam and finally getting a “yes.” The two quietly headed to the Justice of the Peace, where they married, and they welcomed their first of three daughters two years and two days later.
Despite their elopement, her family welcomed him in.
“Her whole family were good country people.” he said. “They seemed to (like him.) They never let me know if they didn’t.”
In addition to serving in the Navy, Mr. Sims also served in the Army Reserves. For most of their 75 years, they’ve lived in Augusta. They lived in Washington, D.C. for a short time when John F. Kennedy was president, as part of Sims’s military requirement.
The couple settled in a home across from Butler High School and later moved to west Augusta. He spent 38 years working at the Savannah River Site and said family “was everything” to them.
Their daughter, Marcelle Tudhope, said her parents’ lives focused on her and her sisters even after they grew up and moved away. The couple would take their vacations to help their daughters move to places like North Carolina, Minnesota, Massachusetts and California, and they were there for the births of their five grandchildren. The couple also has eight great-grandchildren.
The couple doesn’t offer much marital advice.
“Make sure you’ve got the right person, and you’re going to wonder about it. I know she wondered too,” said Mr Sims.
“I’m beginning to think it wasn’t the right thing to do,” Mrs. Sims said and laughed.
Having a sense of humor is helpful, they agreed; and both of them have similar wry ones.
Mr. Sims said their secret to a long marriage has been a simple one.
“I wouldn’t let her go,” he said and laughed.
The two of them still share tender moments.
They still live in their west Augusta home and have people who assist them. Tudhope said one of their caregivers recently sent her a video of Mr. Sims walking his wife down the hallway at night and giving her a goodnight kiss.
To mark their 75th anniversary, Tudhope said she’s planned a romantic lunch with maybe some champagne for the two of them. They had a big party for the couple’s 70th anniversary.
Charmain Z. Brackett, the publisher of Augusta Good News and Inspiring: Women of Augusta, has covered Augusta’s news for more than 35 years and is a Georgia Press Association award winner. Reach her at charmain@augustagoodnews.com. Sign up for the newsletter here.
