Former state senator Jimmy Holley passes away

Former Alabama State Senator Jimmy Holley of Elba died Monday.

Former Alabama State Senator Jimmy Holley

Holley represented Covington County in the Alabama Senate for six terms before choosing not to seek re-election in 2022.

An educator by profession, Holley was first elected to the legislature in 1974, defeating an incumbent for a seat in the House of Representatives, which he held for five terms, choosing not to seek reelection in 1994. He sat out for one quadrennium before successfully seeing the Senate seat in 1998.

For many of the years he representative, Holley and his wife, Mary, enjoyed owning a lake home in Covington County. They were regular fixtures in Andalusia on weekends.

“Both Jimmy and Mary were very supportive of Andalusia,” Mayor Earl Johnson said. “They were always interested in what we were doing to build our community, and Jimmy was supportive when we needed help in the legislature.”

In his 44-year tenure, he served with eight different governors – George Wallace, Fob James, Guy Hunt, Jim Folsom Jr., Don Siegelman, Bob Riley, Robert Bentley and Kay Ivey.

In an interview just before his last term ended, he said, “Bob Riley was probably the most progressive of the group,” he said. “Siegelman in his best days was the best politician. He understood the pulse of the community and was an enjoyment to be around.”

First elected as a Democrat, Holley was among the many elected officials who joined the Republican Party during Riley’s second term.

During his tenure, he helped the City of Elba secure funding to rebuild its school system after the devastating 1990 flood. Later, he did the same thing for Enterprise after the deadly 2007 tornadoes.

His knowledge of House and Senate rules was legend, and he used the knowledge to his advantage. But in the pages and pages of bills that filled his 44-year career, he said there was none more important than the legislation that paved the way for four-laning U.S. Hwy. 84 through Southeast Alabama, from Andalusia to the Georgia/Alabama state line.

“In the realm of all the things I’ve been involved in, particularly for Southeast Alabama, Hwy. 84 was the landmark involvement that I had,” he said. “I genuinely believe that it will add to the quality of life of all of our citizens in Southeast Alabama – Elba, Enterprise, Dothan, Opp, Andalusia and even Sanford.”

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Hayes Funeral Home of Elba, but were not complete at press time.