Myrtle A. Simms was born July 23, 1931 in Jacksonville, Texas to Bodie and Bennie (Franklin) Simms. Her family settled in Santa Barbara in 1944. She attended Santa Barbara High School, UCSB, earned her undergraduate degree from Langston University and her graduate degree from UCLA.
Myrtle’s professional career began as a Statistical Analyst for Shell Oil Company in Ventura, California. She would later return to her alma mater Santa Barbara High School to teach math and once as Math Department Chair. Myrtle was a phenomenal educator who genuinely cared about her students and their overall success in life. Miss Simss was a sounding board, mentor and life coach to her students inside the classroom and out.
She was a active member of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, Her family was one of the two families who were founding members of Lewis Chapel CME Church, Santa Barbara.
Thursday, May 30, 2019, Myrtle passed away peacefully at her sister’s home.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Bodie and Bennie Simms, her brother John Wheeler Simms and Julia Simms Taylor, and many relatives and friends. Viewing will be Thursday, June 13th, 2019 from 3pm-5pm at Welch-Ryce-Haider 15 E. Sola Street. The funeral service will be June 14th, 2019 at 11am at Lewis Chapel 202 E. Gutierrez Street in Santa Barbara.
