December 1, 1948 - August 25, 2026

James Karlin Parish (“Jimmy” or “JP”) passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, August 25, 2026 at the age of 77 in Auburn, AL. He was born on December 1, 1948, in Montgomery, AL. He was one of three children born to Thomas Otto (“Buddy”) and Patricia Weir (“Mia”) Parish. Jimmy is preceded in death by his parents, Mia and Buddy Parish of Montgomery, AL and younger sister, Nancy Parish Bennett of Calera, AL. He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Jodi Brittain Parish of Auburn, AL; his older brother Tommy Parish, Jr. of Montgomery, AL; his daughter Jennifer Parish Lavoie (Eddie) of Pike Road, AL; his son Jonathan Scott Parish (Leslie Webb); and his granddaughter Leighton Riley Parish and his grandson Logan James Parish, all of Auburn, AL.

Anytime you hear the name “Jimmy Parish,” the first word that comes to mind is golf. Jimmy won his first golf tournament at the age of 12 and went on to win countless others throughout his life. His dedication to the sport was recognized in 1986 when he was inducted into the Montgomery Golf Association Hall of Fame. His love for the game brought him extraordinary experiences, including the chance to play with several PGA professionals such as Hal Sutton, Jerry Pate, Buddy Gardner, and Hale Irwin. The Masters was the ultimate golf tournament for Jimmy. He and his family always watched at least the final round together. The tradition continued even with his children grown via group text messages. It was always a joke that his daughter could not get married during the week of the Masters. Attending the Masters with his son and getting to play courses in Scotland and Ireland were some of his fondest memories.

Even more than golf, Jimmy loved his family—including the family pets. He loved his dog Toby for nearly 18 years and was heartbroken when Toby passed away a few months ago. Jimmy loved being a father and grandfather. He was affectionally called “Bunky” by his grandchildren because he was such a good bunker player. Jimmy displayed kindness towards everyone he met. He was charismatic, friendly, and had a gentle spirit. He was a loyal and dependable husband, father, grandfather, friend, and co-worker. He was always willing to help those he loved. Jimmy even coached his son’s little league baseball team. Jimmy spent most of his professional life in Montgomery, where he served the State of Alabama as an Information Systems Division Manager. Throughout his career, he provided trusted technical support for multiple governors’ offices and was known for his reliability, calm presence, and deep commitment to public service. While he lived in Montgomery for the majority of his life, he moved to Auburn eleven years ago to be closer to his grandchildren, a decision that brought him tremendous joy.

Jimmy also loved Auburn. Not just sports but Auburn itself. He graduated from Auburn University in 1974. He was an Auburn letterman in golf and a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He was a true Auburn man and lived the creed daily; “Doing justly, loving mercy, and walking humbly with my God. And because Auburn men and women believe in these things, I believe in Auburn and love it.” His devotion to Auburn was lifelong, always supporting the Tigers in every arena.

Last but not least, Jimmy was a man of faith. Jimmy lived 1 Corinthians 13:4-7: “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” While his family and friends are left devastated by his sudden passing, we’ll carry the memories of his life with us always.

A celebration of Jimmy’s life will be held at the Auburn University Club at 1650 Yarbrough Farms Blvd, in Auburn on Wednesday, September 9, 2026, at 1:00 pm.