Ms. Joann Powel Sims, daughter of the late Edward Fain Powel and Sara Jo Powel was born May 11, 1937 in Dublin, Georgia. She was a graduate of Dublin High School, Class of 1955 and received her Bachelors-in-Education degree from Wesleyan College in Macon Georgia.

She taught public school in Dublin, Atlanta, and for a time in Wiesbaden, Germany to children of American military families.  Her love of children was epitomized by the hour-long children's reading radio program she hosted on WMLT in Dublin.

Joann passed peacefully on September 23, 2018 with her two loving daughters Sara Barron White and Elizabeth Minara Kopf by her side.  She has two sons-in-law Adam Kyle White and Michael Read Kopf and two grandchildren Noah William White and Joshua Robert White.

Joann is survived by former husband William White Sims, sister Allison Powel Stanley and brother Edward Fain Powel Jr. and his wife Gail.

Services will be held at Henry Memorial Presbyterian Church at 11:00AM on Saturday September 29, 2018.  Visitation will be from 10:30AM - 11:00AM at the church prior to the service.  A private burial service for the family will immediately follow at Northview Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers donations can be made to: Mental Health America of Georgia (MHA), mhageorgia.org/donate or mail to: Mental Health America of Georgia, 2250 N Druid Hills RD, STE 275, Atlanta, GA  30329.