Dick Donnelly Nave, Jr., died of a heart attack on Sunday, January 4, 2009. Dick was born on July 9, 1944.
in Brooklyn, N.Y., while his father, a military doctor, was stationed there during War World II.
He grew up in Troy, Ala., and attended Troy University, Samford University, and graduated from Cumberland School of Law with a J.D. degree.
He practiced defense insurance law in Birmingham, Ala., for 34 years.
Dick proudly served his country for seven years as a Green Beret in the 20th Special Forces Group, Airborne Division, of the U.S. Army Reserves.
He was a life member of the NRA; member of Steel City Shooting Society; and was an Alabama Ranger (SASS), where he was known as ““Irish Don.”
His f ather, Dick D. Nave, Sr., M.D., preceded him in death.
He is survived by his wife of 22 years, Marilyn Craig Nave; two sons, Brett Wheeler Nave, Livingston, Mont., and Kerry Donnelly Nave, Hoover, Ala.; daughter, Holly Marie Nave, Hoover, AL; and stepdaughter Daun Rose Sudduth, Hoover, Ala., He is survived by his mother, Ewell Sanders Nave, Talladega, Ala.; sister, Carol N. Lambert and husband Dr. Charles R., Talladega, Ala., sister, Sara N. Smith and husband Jack D., Perry, Ga.; brother-in-law, Stephen S. Craig, Hoover, Ala.; brother-in-law, D. Franklin Craig, M.D. and wife Christy, Burnsville, N.C.; sister-in-law, Cheryl C. Jacobs and husband Johnny M., Clanton, Ala.; two grandsons, Colin Joseph Sudduth and Bennett Brooks Sudduth and their father, B. Brooks Sudduth, Vestavia Hills, Ala.
Known as ““Grandy,”” Dick was very proud of his two ““grandboys.”” He is also survived by many much-loved nieces and nephews and very special friends.
Dick was a loving, kind, and compassionate man with a very dry wit and wicked sense of humor, and will be missed every day by all who knew and loved him.
There will be a family visitation on Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Southern Heritage Funeral Home at 475 Cahaba Valley Rd. (Hwy. 119), Pelham, Ala.
To honor his wishes, Dick’s ashes will be taken in the spring by his family to the Nave family city of Mountain City, Tenn.