Former Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey dies

Former Hoover Mayor Gary Ivey died on Monday, current Mayor Frank Brocato announced to the Hoover City Council tonight.

Ivey was 63. The circumstances surrounding his death were not immediately available.

Ivey served as mayor of Hoover from September 2011 to November 2016. Prior to that, he served seven years as president of the Hoover City Council and eight years on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission.

He first rose to the mayor’s seat after his predecessor, Tony Petelos, resigned from the Hoover mayor’s job to become the Jefferson County manager. The Hoover City Council appointed Ivey to fill Petelos’ shoes, and Ivey was unopposed for mayor in 2012.

Since losing his re-election bid to Brocato in 2016, Ivey left his position as president and CEO at Crest Cadillac in Hoover and moved to Chilton County.

Brocato described Ivey as a wonderful servant of the city of Hoover for many years.

Brocato said Ivey loved the city of Hoover and did a lot of great things.

“Even in defeat … he could not have been more gracious and more encouraging and more supportive, and I really respect him for that, and I'll always remember him for that,” Brocato said. “I think he was just a fine man, and that proved to me that he had a good character about him. … There are a lot of people that are sad over the fact that he passed away."

After the 2016 election, Ivey said some of his best memories in city government included the development of Veterans Park, construction of the Hoover Senior Center and additions to the Hoover Public Library. He also was proud of the sports field built at Hoover Sports Park East for children and adults with special needs.

“I think that’s incredibly special and badly needed,” he said then.

Other accomplishments he regarded as significant include the widening of U.S. 31 between Interstate 459 and Data Drive and helping important private-sector projects become a reality. Some of those projects include the renovation of the Riverchase Galleria and the construction of the Field & Stream store in Patton Creek and two freestanding emergency departments, he said.

Hoover Council President Gene Smith said Ivey did a lot of good for the city from the shadows for many years before he became an elected official.

“He supported a lot of good people, and he accomplished a lot — stuff people will never see his fingerprints on,” Smith said. “He was one of those that helped see the city through the recession, and we were able to do that without the loss of city employees. I think some of that had to do with his leadership.”

Smith said he and Ivey had moments of disagreement but always appreciated each other opinions.

In addition to his years as an elected official, Ivey served as a trustee at Church of the Highlands and on the board of SafeHouse of Shelby County, a service center for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, for 12 years.