Jimmy Darrell Sirmans

This obituary might be different the next time we tell it - because like all good stories, Jimmy’s always seemed to evolve with each telling.
After battling Parkinson’s disease for over two decades, Jimmy Darrell Sirmans passed away on March 22, 2026, at the age of 74 in Springdale, Arkansas.
Jimmy was born on March 13, 1952, in Tifton, Georgia, the son of George and Dorothy Sirmans. A standout football player in high school, he went on to earn a scholarship to play at Auburn University. He was a proud member of the legendary ‘72 Amazins squad, which finished the season ranked No. 5 in the country with a 9-1 record, including the iconic “Punt Bama Punt” victory over in-state rival Alabama.
Beyond football, Jimmy was known as a gifted storyteller. No matter how many times you heard one of his stories, each retelling seemed to bring a new twist, plot, or punchline - often leaving everyone laughing and leaning in for more.
Many of those stories centered around his love of golf. (And many of those particular golf stories were more like lies - or, more gently, half-truths.) The golf course was a place where Jimmy connected with friends and strangers alike around a game that consistently taught him patience… and maybe how to cheat just a little bit.
But most of Jimmy’s stories were rooted in his faith. He never passed up an opportunity to share his story of salvation and the undeserved grace of God he so deeply cherished. He would recite “Jesus in Every Book of the Bible” with enthusiasm, share his in-depth notes on scripture with scholarly pride, and sing I’ll Fly Away at the top of his lungs with the energy of a Top 40 hit.
Jimmy shared 40 wonderful years with his first wife, Bonnie Tucker Sirmans, until her untimely passing in 2013 - a partnership that shaped so much of his life and family. He was later blessed to find love again with Shelley Black Bauer, beginning a new chapter filled with joy, travel, companionship, expanded family, and tender care.
Jimmy is survived by his wife, Shelley Black Sirmans; his children, Mandy Hughes (Scott) and Cade Sirmans (Jennifer); his stepdaughters, Jamie Bauer (Scott Whittingham) and Jenny Birchfield (Nik); his brother, Ronnie Sirmans; and his seven grandchildren: Emma Hutner; Elijah and Georgia Hughes; Maverick, Griffin, and Hazel Whittingham; and Bauer Birchfield, along with numerous in-laws, out-laws, cousins, nieces, and nephews. He was preceded in death by his first wife, Bonnie Sue Tucker Sirmans.
At this time, the family asks for privacy. A small, private gathering will be held at a future Auburn football game this fall. War Eagle.
In honor of Jimmy’s #37 Auburn jersey, the family invites those who wish to do so to consider a $37 donation to the Michael J. Fox Foundation, supporting its mission to lead the charge toward a world without Parkinson’s disease: https://tribute.michaeljfox.org/tribute-page.php?id=3513&np=true
Isaiah 40:31 “but they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles, they shall run and not be weary, and they shall walk and not faint.”