Baytown man on honeymoon loses battle with cancer

Five weeks after his wedding at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center, a Baytown man has passed away on a road trip.

John Sims, who would have turned 31 on Tuesday, died early Saturday at a hospice in Grand Junction, Colo., said his wife, Lindsey Tate. 

The couple had left Houston April 15 by car, headed to Oregon to visit Sims’ best friend, she said. 

“We had a lot of great times in the last two weeks,” she said. “We saw mountains, waterfalls and got to meet one of his favorite comedians (Doug Benson) in Denver. He had a good time. It just overtook his body and he couldn’t travel any more.”

After spending time in Dallas and Denver, the pair were in Grand Junction when Sims woke up ill on Thursday, on Tate’s birthday, and went to a hospital. From there, he went to a hospice.

“They graciously took John in and provided amazing care in his final hours,” Tate said. “He passed that next night.”

Services are planned for 1 p.m. May 9 at the Highlands Community Center near Baytown.

The couple were married March 21 at M.D. Anderson in an atrium called The Park.