Martha Sim passed away peacefully at home on the afternoon of November 22, 2018. She was 88 years old. Martha was born in Elizabeth City, Virginia on December 8, 1929 and was raised in her beloved Hampton graduating from Hampton High school in 1947. During her youth, she and her friends engaged in many lively adventures in Hampton some of which will now remain untold.

Martha continued her education at Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg where, despite the strict rules and housemothers, she found ways to escape campus with her friends and make their own brand of fun. Along the way she met John Sim, her husband of nearly 65 years. She graduated from Mary Washington with a BA in Education in June of 1951.

Soon after her graduation from college Martha and John were married at St. John's Episcopal Church in Hampton. John was the perfect match for Martha's vivacity and they faced life together with gusto, bringing energy and fun wherever they went. They began married life in Atlanta where she started her teaching career. They later moved to Richmond where she taught English at both Hermitage and Colligate High Schools and started their family with the arrival of their first two children.

The tug of Hampton was great and she and John returned there in 1960 reuniting with old friends and making new ones. Much to Martha's chagrin, she moved to York County a couple of years later at John's insistence where they welcomed their second two children to complete their family. She settled into the Marlbank community making it her home for more than 55 years until her passing.

Martha was an active volunteer in the Junior League of Hampton Roads and was on the founding board of the Junior Nature Museum and Planetarium, now the Virginia Living Museum. She was a member of Grace Episcopal Church Yorktown where she taught Sunday School and worked on the capital campaign to expand the church facilities. Martha restarted her career in the 1970s at the York County Library where she worked for several years.

Martha was an engaging, entertaining and active person who loved to travel and stay on the move. She enjoyed skiing and playing golf as often as she could. She also loved hitting the road in her Dodge Ram van or Suburban at the drop of a hat to visit friends and family. She kept up all of these activities until her early 80's when she was stricken with Frontotemporal Dementia. Even through her disease, her enthusiastic team of caregivers recognized Martha's spirit of adventure and sense of style and took her on many local capers to keep things lively. Her family is extremely grateful to all of those who took exceptional care of her.

Martha was preceded in death by her parents, Helen and John Stack, her husband John Sim, her son-in-law Jeffrey Gustafson and her brother, Peter Stack. Left to cherish her memory and live life as she did are her children and their spouses, J. Michael Sim, Elizabeth S. Wash and Tom Wash, Molly C. Sim, J. Stuart Sim and Nicole Sim; and her cherished grandchildren John Sim, Wren Sim, Anastasia Wash, Garrett Sim, Lauren Gustafson, Colby Gustafson, Hunter Sim, Juliette Sim, Alisa Wash and Jordan Sim.

The perfect blend of her mother's great beauty and her father's sharp intellect, Martha will be remembered by family and friends for her zest for life, keen sense of humor, compassion for others and her irrepressible determination.

A funeral service will be held at the Parish Hall of Grace Church Yorktown on Sunday November 25 th at 3:00 pm with the Rev. Carleton Bakkum, Rector, officiating. A reception will follow in the Banquet Room at Riverwalk Landing.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to Grace Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 123 Yorktown, VA 23690 or the Virginia Living Museum 524 J. Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News VA 23601.