Robert “Bobbie” Sims Jr. was born on August 17th, 1956, to Dorothy Johnson and Robert Sims. Bobbie was a very happy-go-lucky kid and very active in the neighborhood. He had a total of 14 siblings. With a nice age gap between siblings, growing up, Robert received the cliche youngest child love and attention for quite some time. He attended and graduated from the Cleveland Public School District and later took social work courses at Cuyahoga Community College.

Robert was S H A R P sharp, from his head down to his toes, and a possible cane to match. He was far from color-shy; he had a suit in every color under the rainbow. You couldn’t miss him; he was eye-catching, outgoing, and a smooth brother on the dance floor—the definition of the life of the party. He had a big personality with a big heart to match; he loved on and embraced everyone he encountered. In Robert’s book, it wasn’t just blood that made you family; there were no big I’s and little U’s; he treated everyone nicely.

A jack of many trades, he was well known as “Bob Big Wrench.” One thing about Robert wasn’t just my mechanic or your mechanic; he was everyone’s mechanic. If you called, he was coming, if you came by the shop, you were getting fixed. He took pride in his craft, investing countless hours to ensure everyone was safely back on the road. “Each one, teach one”, was a motto Robert operated on; he wasn’t stingy with his knowledge or skills, he would help others learn the tricks of the trade. He took countless people under his tutelage, including his stepson, Darryl and best friends Thomas and Reggie.

Before Robert was “Big Wrench,” he was Robert the Social Worker, Robert the Bus Driver, and Robert the Maintenance Man. It was in 1989, in his role as a maintenance man for Community United Headstart, that he met the love of his life, medical assistant Pamela Ivey. It was love at first sight. Rumor has it that Robert wooed Pamela with constant gifts and thoughtful acts like weekly flowers and lunch dates. The two were hot in the pants and didn’t waste any time. They married in 1991 and conceived their first child, Tia, in 1992 and their second child, Tamera, in 1995.

Robert was a family man and an ideal father. There was nothing he wouldn’t do for his loved ones, especially his kids. Whether it was making breakfast, ironing clothes, drops off and pickups, practices, school events, Easter baskets, or Valentine’s chocolate, his kids never missed the presence of their father and always knew how a man should treat you and behave. He was love personified. A man of character, an upstanding individual. He left a lasting impression on everyone he met and will truly be missed.

To continue his legacy, Robert leaves behind his wife Pamela Sims, children Tia and Tamera Sims, grandchildren Takayla Fluker, Kimorah Ivey, Pierre Longino Day’Vi Burney, goddaughter Davia Burney and honorary son Tesman Fluker, siblings Lillie “Jena”(husband Clarence), Eric, Darryl, Stanley, Robin, Robert III, Robertina, Brenda, and Keith, sister-in-law Sharon Knowlton(husband David), best friends Thomas and Reggie, special Aunt Myrtle Banks, a host of nieces and nephews, family and friends.

Robert will be received in heaven by his parents, Dorothy Johnson and Robert Sims, stepmother Ruby, stepson Darryl Ivey, best friend Wick, and siblings Lepolia “Plook,” Dorothy “Raymell,” Oscar “Bay-Bro,” Roberta “Ida,” and Diahann “Dina.”.