Alvin Nelson “Buddy” Bird Jr.

Columbiana

Alvin Nelson “Buddy” Bird Jr., age 80, of Columbiana, passed away on Sunday, March 17, 2013. Funeral service will be 2 p.m. on March 22 at Columbiana United Methodist Church with Rev. Pete Grice officiating. The eulogy will be by his grandson, Wesley Justice. Burial will follow in Columbiana City Cemetery. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Bolton Funeral Home, Columbiana, is directing.

Mr. Bird was born on June 6, 1932, in Columbiana. He attended Shelby County schools and graduated from Shelby County High School in 1950 with honors. He attended Auburn University and received an engineering physics degree in 1954 and then received a masters degree in 1956. He was a member of the Society of Physics Students – Sigma Pi Sigma. While at Auburn, Mr. Bird was in the Army Engineers from 1954-1956. He was stationed at Ft. Benning in Columbus, Ga.

In 1958, Mr. Bird moved with his family to Birmingham, working at Southern Research Institute as a physicist. He became head of the Physics Department during his 12 year tenure at SRI until leaving in 1970. In 1970, Mr. Bird changed careers to medical sales and moved to San Jose, Calif. After a few years working in Salt Lake City, Utah, Mr. Bird transferred back to his hometown of Columbiana, and later retired from medical sales. He and his wife, Betty, recently celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary on Feb. 8 of this year.

Mr. Bird is preceded in death by his son, Kenneth Nelson Bird; parents, Alvin Nelson Bird Sr. and Inez Jordan Bird; and grandmother, Pinkie Merrell Jordan. He is survived by his wife, Betty Dorough Bird; daughters, Sharon Hackney (Danny) and Lisa Justice Robertson (Joel); grandchildren, Wesley William Justice and Lauren Jordan Hackney; and a host of nieces, nephews, family and friends. Please sign online condolences at Boltonfuneralhome.com.