TYLER, Texas — A beloved East Texas radio host died Friday overnight after he was struck by a car Tuesday morning while walking near his home in Tyler.
John Sims was the voice of KTBB radio for nearly three decades, a voice that will be missed by many.
"He was a kind and gentle soul. He was good on the air and consummate pro, and those shoes are hard to fill," said president of ATW Media, Paul Gleiser.
Sims worked hard to make a difference both inside and outside of the newsroom, Gleiser said.
Sims was a native of Philadelphia who spent more than 45 years in radio and 43 of those in East Texas, according to his KTBB biography.
Over the years, Sims was active in local causes. He was the former president of Leadership Tyler and the Smith County Community Partnership Council (a citizen group that works with the state parole division).
Sims helped found Tyler Together Race Relations a group that encourages people of different backgrounds to learn more about each other.
"John is instrumental to the growth and to the development of this organization," President of Tyler Together Race Relations Nick McGrew said. "He is instrumental to the growth and the connection to all of us learning about resources to make Tyler a better place, he was Tyler."
His work in the community didn’t stop there. Long-time friend and former co-worker Doc Deason said there was no kinder soul than Sims.
"You won’t hear anyone say anything negative about him. I’ve heard from folk who were in television and radio who have interacted with him over the years and a lot of people saying more of the same," Deason said.
Members of Tyler Together Race Relations are planning a memorial service in honor of Sims. CBS19 will update this article with the memorial service information once it's available.