Jimmie “Jim” Darrell Holmans, 83, decorated former U.S. Air Force colonel and longtime staff member at Abilene Christian University, died Nov. 8, 2026, in Abilene, Texas.
Visitation will be Thursday, Nov. 12, from 5-7 p.m. at Piersall Funeral Directors (733 Butternut St., Abilene, Texas 79602). Burial is 11 a.m. Friday, Nov. 13, at the Texas State Veterans Cemetery (7457 W. Lake Road, Abilene, Texas 79601), and a funeral will begin that same day at 1:30 p.m. at the Piersall Chapel.
Holmans was born Sept. 1, 1943, in Coleman, Texas, and earned an A.A. degree in chemistry from Lubbock Christian University (1963), a B.S. in chemistry from Texas Lutheran University (1972) and an MBA from Boston College in 1989. He wed Myra Siburt (’65) on Aug. 31, 1968.
In November 1967, Holmans began a 30-year career in the Air Force that included 15 assignments across the U.S., Thailand, Belgium and Germany. He served as an executive officer to the commanders at Hanscom Air Force Base near Boston, Massachusetts; and Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene from 1983-86 as it became the home of the first B-1B Lancer bomber wing. In Belgium he commanded the Air Force contingent of personnel at NATO headquarters in Brussels and Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe (SHAPE) in Mons.
He also held numerous personnel assignments including preparation of Congressional and presidential responses to citizen inquiries, the assignment of more than 5,000 mid-level officers to professional military education, and the assignment of more than 16,000 intelligence personnel around the globe. Before retirement in 1987, he worked at the Pentagon while directing the worldwide assignments of all Air Force colonels.
Holmans earned the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, and Air Forces Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters. He was named the Air Force Systems Command’s Personnel Officer of the Year in 1976 and Europe Senior Personnel Manager of the Year in 1991, and graduated from every level of resident professional military education. He also served on Abilene’s Military Affairs Committee.
He served as executive assistant to ACU’s 10th president, Dr. Royce Money (’64), from 1998-2010, in addition to another eight years as assistant to Money when the latter became Abilene Christian’s chancellor. He also led the security team at Abilene’s University Church of Christ, where he and Myra were members.
Holmans was preceded in death by his parents, Charles Willard Holmans and Bernice Evelyn Hill Holmans; and a sister, Karen Kay Holmans Magee. Among survivors are Myra, a former ACU teacher education faculty member and his wife of 58 years; a daughter, Melissa Holmans; granddaughters Nevada and Lex’n; and a great-granddaughter, Namari.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Siburt Institute (ACU Box 29132, Abilene, Texas 79699-9132 or bit.ly/JimHolmans).
– Ron Hadfield
Nov. 11, 2026