By DAVE DOMESCIK | Staff Writer

MONTEVALLO – Grover Arthur “Art” Spivey, a local Navy veteran Rank YN2, was interred at the Alabama National Cemetery in Montevallo on Tuesday, April 15. Spivey served from 1959 to 1963, during both the Cuban Missile Crisis and the Bay of Pigs Invasion.

On short notice, hundreds of locals from across Shelby County and the Greater Birmingham Area showed up to honor the veteran, who had no family present at the service. The crowd consisted of veterans, family members of veterans, members of the Support Committee for the Alabama National Cemetery, American Legion, Patriot Guard, VFW, Legion Riders, Sovereign Sons Motorcycle Club, Blue Star Foundation, American Village and more.

The diverse crowd was treated to a spectacular service, with the Patriot Flight of Shelby County conducting a stirring flyby. Motorcycle riders formed a flag line to welcome guests and pay honor to Spivey, while the U.S. Navy Honors team provided a moving rendition of taps and folded the burial flag. Duke Martin, the SCALNC’s chaplain who is also a U.S. Navy veteran, delivered the opening prayer and message for the event. Rich McClennan, Spivey’s friend and caregiver, gave a moving eulogy, concluding the interment ceremony.

Eldon Woodie, the SCALNC’s chairman, said that while the turnout was impressive and touching, he wasn’t necessarily surprised by it.

“Alabama is extraordinarily supportive of their veterans and their families,” Woodie said. “I was surprised at how fast (the event) grew (in popularity). Alabama is a place that loves sports, but I believe that our favorite team is the (military) team that’s around the globe looking out for us.”

Woodie expressed that contributions like Spivey’s were key to ending the Cold War, thanking him for his service.

“The fall of the Berlin Wall was a culmination of some 40 years of contributions from citizens like Mr. Spivey,” Woodie said. “The freedom that we enjoy today and the fact that two superpowers never traded nuclear blows is because deterrence doesn’t work if readiness isn’t believable. Our readiness was believable because of people like Mr. Spivey who dedicated their lives to serving our military.”

Woodie expressed that moments like these are precisely why the Shelby County and greater Birmingham communities are so special, citing his time in Alabama and its care for people like Mr. Spivey.

“I grew up in Alabama, and it was hard to jog because somebody would stop and ask if you needed a ride,” Woodie said. “America will be great as long as she is good, and I think that we’re still good people.”

For more information on the Support Committee for the Alabama National Cemetery, visit Scalnc.org.