Memorial services for Janet Harvell Sims will be at 2 p.m. Wednesday, March 6, 2002. The service is to be at First Baptist Church of Lake Jackson, 401 Yaupon, in Lake Jackson, Texas. John Hatch, pastor of First Baptist Church, will officiate. The family will receive friends at the church beginning at noon and continuing until the start of the 2 p.m. memorial service. Janet passed away Saturday, March 2, 2002, at her home in Marietta, Georgia, after a lengthy and courageous battle with cancer.

Janet, or Jan, as she was known to family, was born May 25, 1951, in Freeport, Texas, to Jack and Allyne Harvell. She spent her early years, from birth through elementary on through high school, in Lake Jackson. She graduated in May 1969 from Brazosport High School. Janet continued her education at Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. While there, she earned a Bachelor of Science Degree in home economics with a minor in early childhood development in May 1973.

While growing up in Lake Jackson, she was active in the First Baptist Church, beginning with her days in "Cradle Roll." She became a Christian while in elementary school, and then became a member of First Baptist Church during the time that Johnny Beard was her pastor. As a young person, Janet was very involved in choirs, youth camp mission trips, GAs, YWAs and Vacation Bible School. Some of Janet's fondest memories are of Jim Bob and Louveral Griffin. Jim Bob served as minister of music while Louveral played the piano. During her high school years, her pastor was D.O. Foster. She deeply loved him and Pat. He presented her a very special "White Bible Ceremony" as a result of her participation in YWAs, scripture memory and missions involvement. In addition to her church activities, Jan spent her childhood involved with Brownies, Girl Scouts and playing softball.

At Stephen F. Austin State University, she met the love of her life, and on June 22, 1974, married Gary R. Sims in the sanctuary of First Baptist Church Lake Jackson. The first time Gary asked her for a date, she said OK, but only if he would take her to the TRUTH concert on campus. Gary later traveled with TRUTH for a year during their engagement; it was during that time that he/they were called to serve in full-time church work. Janet was very active and involved in serving as Sunday school teacher, camp counselor, VBS teacher, preschool director and many other roles, as they served churches in Texas, Oklahoma and Georgia. In addition to serving in various church activities, Jan taught school in several cities. Jan and Gary served together at Memorial Baptist Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, in the late '70s; it was there that their miracle baby, Jacob Ross Sims, was born in February 1979. From there, they moved to Irving, Texas, where they served MacArthur Boulevard Baptist Church through June 1985. Marietta, Georgia, became their home in July 1985, where the family still resides. Janet was a gifted homemaker and a very avid football fan since her son Jake played football at Marietta High School, Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, and Eastern Kentucky University in Richmond, Kentucky. Janet had been a preschool teacher at Eastside Baptist Weekly Preschool for some 11 years, with one year at the Eastside Christian School, until her illness forced her to resign. Janet was a member of Eastside Baptist Church in Marietta.

Janet Harvell Sims is survived by her husband, Gary R. Sims, and their son, Jacob Ross Sims, of Marietta, Georgia; her father and mother, Jack and Allyne Harvell, of Lake Jackson; two sisters, Rhonda Cloudt of West Columbia, who is married to Gary Cloudt, they have two children, Janet's nephew, Kevin Cloudt and niece, Katie Cloudt and Deanna Fuller of Nacogdoches, who is married to Jimmy Fuller and Janet's niece Sallie Selman. Janet is also survived by several aunts, uncles and cousins.

She leaves behind many teacher friends, personal friends, doctors, nurses and the entire Hospice staff, who were so faithful in caring for her. Janet was preceded in death by her grandparents, John and Minnie Schultz and Thomas and Ola Harvell. Interment will be at the Restwood Memorial Park with family graveside services