MEMPHIS — Evelyn J. Sirmans
was born on June 1, 1920, in North Little Rock (NLR), AR to Edward and Addie Belle Jones. Evelyn was a beloved daughter, sister, aunt, mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She graduated from North Little Rock High School in 1938 and from Capital City Business College shortly thereafter. She began her career of Federal service with the War Department at Camp Robinson, in processing soldiers before and during World War II. After the war, she transferred to the Veterans Administration and became a Personnel Management Specialist who recruited nurses for the VA. She retired from full time employment after 43 years.
After her retirement, she began her second career as a volunteer. Evelyn was always involved in planning and hosting her High School reunions; a proud member of Eastern Star, the National Association of Retired Federal Employees (NARFE), AARP and a charter member, trustee and registrar of the NLR Sheperd’s Center. The institution that received the most of her time and effort was Central Baptist Church of NLR. Evelyn taught the 3-year-olds in Sunday School for 35 years, answered phones for the church office during staff meetings, helped take up money for the Wednesday night suppers, served as Outreach Director for her ladies Sunday School class and other assignments too numerous to list. Evelyn was honored as the oldest “active” church member at Central’s 100th Anniversary Celebration in 2010. It was at this point, that her family finally convinced her to move to the Memphis, TN area to be closer to her family.
She was preceded in death by the love of her life, husband Arvle D. Sirmans, her parents, brothers Dawell Jones and Don Jones and sisters-in-law Irene Jones and Louise Jones. Evelyn is survived by her son David Sirmans (Wanda); Granddaughters Julie Sirmans Clyce (Andy) and Tracy Sirmans Rowell (Brian); great granddaughter Parker Clyce and great grandson Hudson Rowell. She is also survived by sister-inlaw LaReva Holland Mayo (Delbert) and a special niece Dalrene Hinson-Gilbert (Charlie) as well as a host of cousins, nieces, nephews and friends who held a special place in her heart and were prayed for regularly in her prayer time.
The family would like to thank the caregivers who cared for Evelyn these last few years: Phyllis Funk, the staff of Quail Ridge Memory Care Center of Bartlett, TN and Baptist Trinity Hospice.
A visitation will be held at Faith Baptist Church (3755 N Germantown Pkwy, Bartlett, TN 38133) Saturday, July 10th from 1:00pm to 2:30pm. An additional visitation will be held Tuesday, July 13 at Central Baptist Church (5200 Fairway Ave, North Little Rock, AR 72116) from 12:30pm 2:00pm with a service to follow at 2:00pm.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that a donation be made in Evelyn’s memory to Central Baptist Church NLR, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital, Memphis TN, the Sheperd’s Center of NLR or a charity of the donor’s choice.