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<p>On January 25, 2026, Lieutenant Colonel <em>Berton Everett Spivy III</em> passed into the Long Gray Line. He was the son of pioneers and soldiers and strode throughout his life to serve his country and others.</p>
<p>While born at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii, he always identified as a Texan, since the family had lived there since the mid-19th century. He visited family in Texas often, yet he did not grow up there. He was the son of an Army officer, so he moved from Hawaii to Fort Sill, OK to Fort Hoyle, MD to Fort Bragg, NC to Fort McNair in Washington, DC to Bamberg, Germany to Fort Lewis, WA back to Fort Sill and finally to Sandia Base, NM. </p>
<p>In New Mexico, he began a lifelong passion for skiing, which he carried into West Point, where he was president of the Ski Club and led the effort to establish the first rope-tow at the Academy. As a yearling, he became the left wing starter on the West Point Soccer Team, all because the coach told him that the only way he would have any playing time was if he filled the empty slot at left wing. He spent months teaching himself to kick with his left foot, an early look at the determination that would serve him well throughout his career. He joined the Glee Club, saying it was mainly to get extra leave. Yet the Glee Club was a big deal, with a yearly appearance on the Ed Sullivan Show and a professional record produced every year. He was also a scholar, earning the “Star Man” distinction (top five percent of class) in 1957 and 1958, and went on to graduate 54th in his class. </p>
<p>After West Point, Bert selected Ranger School and Special Forces training. He then joined the newly formed 7th Special Forces Group (Airborne), known for its motto, “Lo Que Sea, Cuando Sea, Donde Sea” (Anything, Anytime, Anywhere). A highlight was performing an underwater demolition demonstration for President Kennedy at Fort Bragg in October 1961. </p>
<p>As a Green Beret, he served three tours of duty in the Vietnam War. He was in Laos (1960-61), providing training in guerilla warfare in Plateau de Bolaven and Salavane. He described having no official uniform or any identification during this period in case he was captured. His tour stopped early when his location was overrun by a Pathet Lao battalion and he was shot in the arm. He received the Purple Heart for this injury. His second tour was in 1963 and was likely in border areas, where Special Forces A-Teams were known to have conducted reconnaissance and trained Montagnard forces. His third and last tour was in Saigon (1968-69), where he was part of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam-Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG). He was not specific on his missions, but the group was known for conducting high-risk, classified operations behind enemy lines in North Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia. The unit’s contribution was so significant that a bill was introduced in Congress in June 2025 to award the Congressional Gold Medal in honor of the 1,579 people that served in MACV-SOG. He earned the Bronze Star and Air Medal during this tour.</p>
<p>Bert was inherently a modest soldier that described being “fortunate” to be in the Special Forces and behind enemy lines, showing respect for his fellow soldiers on the front lines. </p>
<p>After the Vietnam War, he attended the Command and General Staff College at Fort Leavenworth, KS and then was assigned to Fort Carson, CO before matriculating at Stanford for graduate studies in 1971. He earned a master’s degree in industrial engineering-computer utilization. Stanford was one of only two universities that offered such a degree. </p>
<p>His time in the Pentagon involved a number of key projects in computing technology. He was recognized for his contribution to the Worldwide Military Command and Control System with the Legion of Merit. He also received the Meritorious Service Medal. </p>
<p>Bert developed an early fascination with computers. In 1949 he won a science fair by simulating a nuclear reaction in an analog computer. After retiring in 1979, he wanted to pioneer the opportunities that came from the new personal computers being introduced. He started his own company in 1980 to develop software and help businesses automate their processes. This lifelong pursuit perhaps ultimately led to his true calling, and second career, teaching computer science for 10 years. And he could not have picked a more picturesque location than Lake Tahoe, NV, where he was able to continue his passion for skiing. </p>
<p>After his second retirement from teaching, he settled in Yuma, AZ and in Ruidoso, NM—again, a wonderful place to continue skiing. He then settled in Jacksonville, TX and ultimately Kilgore, TX. Bert is survived by his wife Katy, three children, two step-children and 11 grandchildren.</p>
<p><em>— Arthur Spivy, Son</em></p>
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