Jimmy Simmons
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Sheriff James Travis "Jimmy" Simmons, Jr., 75, passed on to Heaven peacefully at home on Friday, November 19, 2021. Until being diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease, Jimmy was a strong, hooking bull of a man with hands of steel and a heart of gold. He was a lawman for over 30 years with empathy for the downtrodden including those he put in jail. He was on call 24 hours a day during his 24 years as Sheriff of Chickasaw County. His call of duty ended when he saw Jesus at the Pearly Gates. He was a Christian and member of Houlka First Baptist Church.
Jimmy was born on March 18, 1946, to James Travis Simmons and Venita Buchanan Simmons. He was a cowboy, who rode bulls while young, a row crop farmer, a rodeo promoter, a coon hunter, and a member of the National Guard. All of his life he was a first-rate horse trader owning horses, rodeo bulls, mules, tracking hounds, cow dogs and coon dogs. People would travel from as far away as Tennessee to be at Jimmy's house on Saturday mornings to trade coon dogs. He was always an optimist who saw the best in people. His sense of humor and humility show even in his death as he demanded to be buried in overalls, with a $20 bill, a dog leash and his sheriff's badge. He said that he figured that would get him anywhere he needed to go when he got there.
Visitation will be on Monday, November 22, 2021, at Houlka First Baptist Church from 6:00 P.M. - 8:00 P.M.
Funeral Services will be held at Houlka First Baptist Church at 11:00 A.M. on Tuesday, November 23, 2021, with visitation before service from 10:00 A.M.-11:00. officiated by Bro. George Bailey and Rev. Patrick Collums.
Burial will be at Rose Hill Cemetery in Houlka, Mississippi.
Houston Funeral Home will be in charge of the arrangements.
Jimmy is survived by his partner, Liz Simmons; the mother of his children, Annette Simmons, his son, Chad Simmons, his grandchildren and great-grandchildren, his sisters, Jeannie Verell, Becky Worbington, and his brothers, Buck Thornton and Larry Simmons. He also leaves a large group of loving cousins, nieces, and nephews.
Jimmy was preceded in death by his mother, his father, his brother, Roger Thornton, and his son, James Travis Simmons, III.
Pallbearers will be James Myers, Keith Roberson, J.R. Kilgore, Mike Ford, B.J. Gladney, and Terry Ward.
Honorary pallbearers will be the Chickasaw County Sheriff's Department deputies and his former hunting buddies.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to:
Chickasaw Houston Animal Shelter & Education
"C.H.A.S.E"
220 CR 110
Houston, MS 38851
**The family has asked that social distancing and CDC Guidelines be kept in mind. Please bring your mask. If you do not have one, Houston Funeral Home will provide you with one. **
Online condolences may be left on the Tribute Wall at www.houstonfuneralhomems.com