A.C. Buddy Shavers

Mr. A.C. "Buddy" Shavers, Jr., 70, a retired U.S. Army & Law Enforcement Officer, died Wednesday, March 18, 2009 at University Medical Center. Visitation is Thursday, March 19, 2009 from 5-8 p.m. at Chancellor Funeral Home in Florence. US Army military services will be held Friday at 2 p.m. at the funeral home chapel. Interment will follow in Garden of Memories Memorial Park in Florence.\ \ Mr. Shavers was born in Fort Payne, AL, moved to Jackson, MS while in junior high school, graduated from Central High School in 1957, and enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1958. Overseas assignments included Korea, Japan, Germany, and Vietnam. He was wounded in Vietnam and retired with a disability in 1969. He also served with the MS Army National Guard from 1955 to 1958. While on active army duty he was a Criminal Investigator and performed several other Military Police functions during his career. Prior to being was employed by the University of MS Medical Center in 1980 as an investigator for Campus Police, he worked with private security & law enforcement firms in Jackson, MS, New Orleans, LA and Atlanta, GA . In 1991, he was promoted at UMC to Chief of Police and Operations Manager and in 1992 he suffered a heart attack. In 1993, he retired on disability from the Medical Center. He devoted 34 years of his life to law enforcement, because he enjoyed his work and most of all, loved people.\ \ He is a member of Star Baptist Church, A Mason, an Eagle Scout, American Legion, DAV and MS Police Officers Association. \ \ Survivors include wife, Margie Ree Warren Shavers of Florence; daughters: Beverly S. Shavers of Edwards, Joni D. Griffin and husband, Terry of Terry, MS, Cynthia Polk Baxter and husband, Addison of Brandon, Ronica Polk Palato and husband, Steven, Jr. of Terry; sister, Sue Keller of Tacoma, Washington; 7 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren.\ \ He was preceded in death by his father, A.C. Shavers, Sr. of Gadsden, AL and mother, Ruth W. Griffin of Jackson, MS.\