Marques Tyree Sims' Obituary
Marques Tyree Sims was born to Christopher Thomas and La Ticia Nicole Sims in East Ridge, Tennessee on October 26th, 2001. The Lord called him home on February 17th, 2026, at the age of 24.
At an early age Marques accepted Christ as his Lord and Savior. Love Fellowship Baptist Church is where he grew in his walk with the Lord as a child and teenager. For the last few years he became a member of Bayside Baptist Church, where he was growing in learning and obeying the leading of the Holy Spirit.
As a little boy we knew Marques loved music, which was his first passion. This passion as revealed in the form of drumming. He would drum with whatever he could use—his finers, lego blocks, pencils, markers, crayons and even pens. The fact that he did not own a pair of drumsticks made him no difference. This fact was proven one night as we were finishing up dinner, Marques took his thoroughly eaten chicken legs and began drumming on the dining room table. This not only earned him the name “Drummer Boy,” we also knew it was time to buy him some real drum sticks.
Once he began kindergarten, his second passion soon began to develop. This would be his love of serving his country. Marques would go to the library and check out books on guns, ammunition and war time picture books. We had to finally ban him from repeatedly checking out the same books over and over and over. He also had his PawPaw and other family that influenced his desire to serve.
Marques attended East Ridge High School, where he joined the ROTC as well as the football and baseball teams. At the age of seventeen, he began to fulfill his second passion of serving his country and enlisted in the National Guard Upon completing basic training, he returned to graduate from East Ridge High School. He began his life of working and serving in the National Guard for six years. After completing his six year contract on January 3rd of 2026, he was transitioning to enlist for Active Duty in the Army.
Marques was a true country boy at heart. He enjoyed the outdoors – with early morning walks downtown. He constantly was working to perfect his grilling game. He was a huge gun enthusiast. He also loved music. Whether it was rap, country, Oldies but Goodies of Motown, contemporary Christian, soulful gospel or R&B. You would hear it all when you rode with him. Family was at the heart of who he was. From his blood kin to the friensd he made from kindergarten to his military brotherhood. Family was IMPORTANT! Marques was known to light up a room with his smile and one of his corny wise cracks.
Marques was preceded in death by his great-grandparents, George and Desamer Sims, Ernest and Annie Mae Witherow, Lewis and Geneva Ballard, and Henry Tyree and Julia Williamson; grandfathers, Christopher Thomas Sims, Sr. and Rayfield Williamson; uncles, Sterling Witherow, Ronnie Sims, and Chester Sims; aunts, Carolyn Witherow and Constance Meadows; and cousins, Tyrick Johnson and DeKota Williamson.
He leaves to cherish his precious memories his parents, Christopher T. and La Ticia N. Sims; brother, Marquis T. Sims; sister, Kelsie M. Sims; niece, Ka Lahni M. Carter; grandmothers, Bettie Ballard, Sharon Bright, and Connie Williamson, all of Chattanooga; honorary grandmother, Jackie Moore; godparents, Kevin and Patricia Smith, all of West Palm Beach, FL; uncles, Calvin Perry of Phoenix, AZ, Clavin Williamson of Cleveland, OH, Jayson and Bryan Williamson, both of Chattanooga, Raynard (Dena) Williamson of Grand Blanc, MI, and LeBron Sims; aunts, Michelle Hart, Anita Morgan, and Adrienne Sims, all of Chattanooga; honorary aunt, Valerie Pittner of Chattanooga; Heart Knitted Close Together Friend and Family, Tariq Roundtree and Trey Butler, both of Chattanooga, Orlandis Williamson of Milan, TN, and a host of other relatives from all surnames: Ballard, Sims, Williamson and Witherow; and a host of friends and his Brothers in Arms.
Marques will lie-in-state on Friday, March 6, 2026, from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m. at Love Fellowship Baptist Church located at 1811 Roanoke Avenue. Funeral service will be held on Saturday, March 7, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Bayside Baptist Church located at 6100 TN-58, with Pastor Gerald O'Guinn as Eulogist.
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