SIDNEY — The Shelby County Sheriff’s Office, 555 Gearhart Road, will host an open house and dedication, today, Feb. 17, at 11 a.m. to honor the life and service of Robert Sims Sr.

The event is in honor of Black History month. Sims was the first African-American to serve as a deputy in Shelby County. He was sworn in by Sheriff John Lenhart, Feb. 13, 1971.

Sims settled in Sidney in 1938. He was married to his devoted wife, Yvonne Bonnie (Cummins), for 55 years. Together, they raised seven children, Robert Sims Jr., James Sims, Ruth Sims Shrosphire, Alice Sims Robinson, Karen Sims Knott, Debbie Sims Landrum and Jana Sims Rucker.

Sims was a World War II veteran and always wanted to make a difference and lived by the Golden Rule: do unto others as you would have them do unto you (Matthew 7:12). As a deputy, he quickly won the hearts of everyone he came in contact with and became a vital part of the lives of the citizens of Shelby County.

Sims believed there were no limitations to the greatness one could accomplish, a lesson he passed along to every life he touched. In his life, he encouraged everyone to continuously learn and to dream big. He had a love of learning and taught others to be a student of life. His knowledge and words of wisdom have been passed down from generation to generation. Sims established a legacy that would have made him very proud.

“As we honor Robert’s service to his country, his community and, most of all, the example he set forth for us all to follow, we all have a responsibility to Robert to continue the faith, the leadership, the wisdom and the strength he taught us to bring together future generations. We may never know the number of lives he touched, influenced or changed with his unwavering spirit. Robert was a man who we all can look up to and be proud we were able to call him friend,” Lenhart said.