Gilven George Simms

Gilven Simms peacefully departed this world on Tuesday, January 23, 2018, at his home in Dover, Delaware. Gilven was born on July 8, 1942, in Hamilton Mountain, St. Mary’s, Jamaica. He was born to Gershon and Bennetia (Ms. Benny) Simms. He was one of eleven brothers and sisters. Often sick as a child, but always a hard worker, Gilven left school during 6th grade and began working with his father in the field and raising cows, goats, and pigs. He also helped in his father’s little grocery store. As a young man, he learned many trades but focused on commercial and residential painting. He worked as a painter for the University of the West Indies in Kingston, Jamaica. He even was a spokesman for Glidden paints, appearing on television, radio, and his image placed on billboards throughout the island. He was married in 1963. To that union, two children, Garfield and Donna, were born. The family emigrated from Kingston, Jamaica and settled in Dover, Delaware, in August 1969. In 1974, they welcomed their third child, Angelia. Throughout his life, he maintained loving relationships that yielded three additional children, Theresa, Janavor and Yvonne. Gilven always took pride in being a hard worker. He was employed at Firestone Tires, where he worked as a mechanic for several years. He later secured a position as a tradesman at Delaware State College (now Delaware State University) in Dover, Delaware, where he worked in maintenance for 32 years before retiring in 2006. He excelled as a painter and carpenter. However, many in the local community knew him because of the general contracting work he performed on their homes. He was primarily a house painter, but also did masonry work, built patios, decks, shingled rooves, installed siding, fixed furnaces, and refurbished dilapidated homes. For a time, he had his own business, D&G Contracting Services, which regularly handled painting dormitory rooms for Delaware State College and painting outdoor buildings for Scotts Paper. He liked to cook, enjoyed gardening, and loved to watch sports. He especially loved a good wrestling and boxing match. He used those lessons learned to beat prostate cancer into remission. He kept abreast of political events and closely followed the election of the first African American president. As much as he loved being in the United States, he never relinquished his Jamaican citizenship. He passed on Tuesday, with a light smile on his face. We hope that smile represented the lifting of whatever burdens he bore, the easing of any ailments suffered and the joining of his spirit with his parents and siblings in Hamilton Mountain. Gilven was predeceased by his grandson Cartier Peete. Left to cherish his memories are his children, Garfield Simms, Ph.D., J.D. (Teresa), Ft. Washington, MD; Donna Saunders, Dover, DE; Angelia Simms-Peete, Newark, DE; Theresa Jenkins, Bridgeville, DE; Janavor Weatherspoon (Anna), Crestview, FL; Yvonne Weatherspoon, Cambridge, MD; his siblings, Laurel Gray, Cora Brown, David (Onis) Simms; his grandchildren, Chaz Peete, Tyler Saunders, Micah Saunders, Garfield (Gary) Simms, Brandon Simms, Tykia Weatherspoon, Avieon Waples, Ty’mere Waples, Nikola Weatherspoon, Janavor Weatherspoon, Jr., Naomi Weatherspoon, Teona Andrews, Te’Neal Grandison, Teagan Simms; his great-grandson, Jahlil Kingston Banks, and a host of other loving family and friends. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Gilven George Simms, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

Gilven George Simms

July 8, 1942 - January 23, 2018