Nancy M. Sims, 80

Nancy M. Sims was welcomed into heaven surrounded by her family on Feb. 4, 2022. She was born on July 8, 1941, in Sault Sainte Marie, Mich., to Richard Glenn and Delia Dee (Sherlund) Holland. She was the oldest of five children. She had wonderful memories of growing up swimming with her siblings in McKay’s Bay on Lake Huron.

She attended Cedarville High School where she was Valedictorian and then attended Elkhart University in Indiana where she became a registered X-ray technician. She married Wendell (Andy) Sims in October of 1963 in Cedarville, Mich., and they moved to Southern California where they celebrated their first Christmas together. They tell a fond story of opening just one present before Christmas which then turned into all the presents being opened before it was even Christmas.

Nancy told wonderful stories of her shenanigans with Andy and fond memories of living a block from the beach, family and friends visiting and of their cabin in the Sierra Mountains. They loved the outdoors and enjoyed being together whether it was riding motorcycles in the desert, camping, fishing, or traveling.

Nancy and Andy moved to Coeur d’Alene in 1970 where she continued working as an X-ray technician and they started Andy’s Heating and Cooling together. They grew Andy’s Heating and Cooling to the business it is today, over the years expanding into Anchorage, Alaska; Redmond, Wash.; and Phoenix, Ariz.

She was one smart lady! Completing her registered X-ray technician program in half the time and writing her own DOS programs for payroll before quick books was created. She could multi-task with the best of them, Nancy would stay up all night to get everything done as they were building the business. Family was a priority to Nancy; she never missed a game and was always there when we needed her.

Nancy loved the water; she was always the first one in the family to jump in the lake every summer. Some of her favorite things to do were water skiing, boat camping on Priest Lake, and spending time at their float house on Lake Coeur d’Alene, especially watching the sunset. She was an avid reader, regularly reading a book a day. In the 1980’s she loved her nights off with her friends at their bowling and golf leagues. Many fond memories were made traveling with her husband to Ireland, England, Spain, and all over the U.S. Her favorite place to travel was Hawaii to see the amazing sunsets. She loved snow skiing with the family up at Schweitzer and the memories made at their ski cabin and a very fond trip to Big Mountain.

She had many pets through the years, even a little farm in Dalton. She loved her animals especially her dogs, cats, goats, and a duck named Peepers, even taking Peepers camping at Priest Lake for a whole month one August. What a site to see, three kids, a Labrador, and a duck all trailing each other and swimming in the lake together, one of the best summers we remember as her children.

More than anything else she loved her family. She was so proud of her children and her grandchildren; she would tell us this all the time. She will be missed by all her family every day.

Nancy was preceded in death by her parents, Delia (Dee) Sherlund Holland, Richard (Glenn) Holland and brother, Michael (Mike) Holland.

Nancy is survived by her husband of 58 years Wendell A. (Andy) Sims; her children: Candice A. Sims (Jeff Smith); Nanette Nichole Sims (Eric Shanley); Andrew (Andy) W. Sims (Tia Benjamin); grandchildren; Cooper Smith, Ashlynn and Evan Shanley; Andrew, and Capri Sims.

Sisters, Diane (Gil Nugent), Colleen (Bob Lordson); brother, Robert (Dob) Holland (Carol) all of Michigan and numerous nieces and nephews.

A Memorial Service will be held at 3 p.m., on Friday, March 18, 2022, at Yates Funeral Home in Hayden, 373 E. Hayden Ave. A reception will follow downstairs. In Lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Hospice of your choice, Hospice of Crest Home Health: www.rmcare.com, or Kootenai Humane Society: www.kootenaihumane.org

Please visit Nancy’s online memorial and sign her guestbook at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com