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You were loved. The circle of life should not begin and end in less than 24 hours.
Baby Girl
31 Monday Jan 2022
Posted in Family
Category Archives: Family
Hannah Elizabeth Sims
28 Sunday Mar 2021
Posted in Family
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September 18, 1966–March 20, 2021
Hannah Elizabeth Sims, age 54, passed away on Saturday, March 20, 2021, in Nayarit, Mexico, due to a sudden-onset, catastrophic illness.
Born Sept. 18, 1966, in San Jose, Calif., to Charles Arthur Sims and Shirley Sims (nee Small), Hannah started life as the youngest of five children. A long-time resident of, and family law attorney in, Berkeley, Calif., Hannah was known as a tenacious and passionate advocate for women (especially those in abusive situations), people with mental illness and the homeless.
“Hannah lived far more than most ever will,” said her husband, James Larkins. “She had compassion, a contagious smile, devastating wit, boundless heart and charm. She was a good friend. We are blessed by her memory, spirit and values.”
Hannah graduated with honors from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in political science, before earning her juris doctorate at the College of William and Mary, Marshall-Wythe School of Law, Williamsburg, Va.
Described by family members as “a force of nature,” Hannah had no time for liars, fakes or time-wasters. But “she was the most radiant and generous person most of us will ever know,” said Mr. Larkins.
Hannah is survived by her husband, James Larkins; children (with Robert Bush) Emmet Bush and Charles Bush; step-children Tyler Larkins and Madelyn Larkins; father Charles A. Sims; step-mother Nancy Adams; mother Shirley (Sims) Hall; siblings, Mark Sims, Murray Sims, Heather Sims and Matthew Sims; and a large extended family.
A Zoom memorial will be held April 11, and an in-person memorial will be announced and held once possible.
In lieu of flowers, her family requests that contributions be made in Hannah’s name to Narika, a nonprofit organization that promotes women’s independence, economic empowerment and well-being by helping domestic violence survivors with advocacy, support and education (Narika.org).
Fun in Seattle
21 Saturday Apr 2018
Last week, I visited my sister for the first time since she moved up to Washington last fall. We had fun playing tourist: Stepped off the plane and drove through downtown Seattle. We went to the Museum of Pop Culture, with exhibits on music, TV (e.g., Star Trek, Dr. Who, Lost in Space), fantasy, horror, science fiction … The entrance is right next to the Space Needle, which is undergoing some construction. Appropriate, given that the Needle featured prominently in Defiance, an excellent example of science fiction TV that was sadly ignored in the museum (at least I saw no wax figures of Grant Bowler or ephemera from the series).
We took the ferry to Whidbey Island, where we went wine and whisky tasting, walked on the beach and saw bald eagles and white (yes, white, not albino) deer. We also had a delicious dinner at a hidden gem of a restaurant that only locals would ever be able to find unless you knew it was there: Roaming Radish. We drove on dirt roads to find the place, and the only sign—low to the ground near the turn—was facing the opposite direction from how we were coming. When I asked for the cheese burger without the meat, the chef came out to the table and offered to make me an off-the-menu tofu burger instead. I’ve never had tofu seasoned to such perfection!
I also saw friends (great to see you, Carri and Chris! And so glad to finally meet Mars!) and celebrated my nephew’s 17th birthday.
All in drizzle or pouring rain … Had a blast!
Smart, Mouthy Women
08 Thursday May 2014
Posted in Family
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I’ve been thinking a lot about family lately. We had a small family gathering/reunion a couple weeks ago. My dad’s siblings all came, along with spouses, a few of my cousins and my “little” brother.
Nancy, my Uncle Charles’s wife, had had hundreds of family photos scanned. Thank you, Nancy!
We spread the originals on coffee tables and pulled out a magnifying glass to examine the old photos. But we also went new tech and plugged a thumb drive into the TV. My dad argued with his brothers and sister about who was who and who wasn’t. We never could get them to agree on a few people, and those were the ones we could at least begin to guess who the people pictured were. Was that Dad or Uncle Charles? Was that really Grandpa? (Bonnie & Clyde!)
I now have nearly a thousand photos of people in Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma, family, but people I don’t know.
I know a handful of family names: Sims, Clenney, Freeze …
I can guess that we have more in common than I might want to admit. I was one of three oldest girls cousins at the gathering. We hadn’t seen each other in years. We couldn’t even identify the last time we three had been together. But we discovered in each other traits we recognize in ourselves. We are smart, mouthy women. We have quick tempers, but we will defend those who can’t defend themselves. We love intensely, passionately.
I bet that description fits a lot of the women in those photos. The photos show men and women in love, playful, stern. They show children, many, many baby pictures. Brothers and sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, great-grandparents. The photos show hard-working people. I don’t see evidence of riches, except in the family ties and traits we share.
I’m proud to be a part of this history, this family. I hope to identify these family members and learn our connections. 
According to Buddha …
30 Friday Aug 2013
A family is a place where minds come in contact with one another. If these minds love one another, the home will be as beautiful as a flower garden. But if these minds get out of harmony with one another, it is like a storm that plays havoc with the garden. If discord arises within one’s family, one should not blame others but should examine one’s own mind and follow a right path.
—The Joy of Mixology: The Consummate Guide to the Bartender’s Craft
by Gary Regan
Yes, I get my philosophy from drinking books!
Elyssa and Elisha’s Wedding
03 Saturday Aug 2013
Posted in events, Family, Keri Losavio
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Keri Losavio 