November 2023 | Volume 17 | Issue 1
THE 280 CORRIDOR’S COMMUNITY NEWS SOURCE 280LIVING.COM | STARNESMEDIA.COM
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Twists and turns
Chelsea resident Eddie Burchfield shares about his life as a soldier, musician and evangelist
Emmi Claire Willoughby, a student athletic trainer at Briarwood Christian School, hands a can of oxygen to Briarwood football player Luke Reynolds (8) as he comes off the field in a game at Helena High School on Oct. 6. Photo by Erin Nelson.
E
By LEAH INGRAM EAGLE ddie Burchfield is recognized by many drivers passing through Chelsea as he stands on the side of U.S. 280 holding a “God Loves You” sign and flies an American flag on his truck. Until the age of 12, Burchfield’s goal was to be a soilder. Both of his parents served during World War II. His father was in the 12th Cavalry Regiment that fought in the Pacific conflict. His mother was in the Women’s Army Corps, where she worked as a parachute packer. But when Burchfield started playing guitar at age 12, he decided he wanted to pursue music and was no longer interested in the military. Born and raised in Bessemer, Burchfield graduated from Bessemer High School in 1968. Knowing he would get drafted if he didn’t go to college, he enrolled at Bessemer Tech, where he took machine, tool and die classes. Once those were complete, he had no fallback plan. After five prior draft letters, Burchfield answered the call at age 21. “I got the letter and had to show up for a physical in Montgomery in November 1971,” Burchfield said. “I went to Fort Polk, Louisiana [now Fort Johnson], and it was a good place for Vietnam training.” He was sent to San Diego in March 1972 and was in the transfer portal to be sent to Vietnam, but as he was awaiting transfer, the Red Cross stepped in because his father had cancer. Three months later, Burchfield was moved to Redstone Arsenal in Huntsville. Burchfield’s first role was in the U.S. Army National Guard, as a clerk typist
One of one Briarwood senior forges unique, necessary path By KYLE PARMLEY
Eddie Burchfield, a retired U.S. Army veteran, sits in a rocking chair at the Chelsea Historical Museum. Photo by Erin Nelson.
in the educational facility. However, he was later fired from that job after he lost interest and stopped showing up. One day, while he was cutting grass and painting barracks, he heard the 55th Army
INSIDE
Sponsors .............. A4 City ........................ A6
Band practicing. Being a music lover, he decided to audition.
Emmi Claire Willoughby can be seen walking down the hallway at Briarwood Christian School, balancing two stacks of red paper cups. She spots two people she knows, flashes her typical big grin and continues heading toward the football office, where she will restock the cabinets with those coffee cups. They will be used by coaches and other personnel with little to no thought as to how they got there in the first place. Willoughby refers to herself as a “catch-all” person at Briarwood, eager to do anything and everything to help out, particularly within the athletics programs. But that is quite an oversimplification of the senior’s impact over her four years at the school. Willoughby has been a standout student, a quick learner, a helping hand and many other things during her high school years.
See BURCHFIELD | page A25
Business ..............A10 Chamber .............A14
Community .........A16 Schoolhouse ...... A22
Events.................. A24 Sports.................... B4
See WILLOUGHBY | page A26 Real Estate.......... B12 Opinion................. B14 facebook.com/280living
Park Upgrades
Flying High
Oak Mountain State Park gets campsite facelift and new access road off U.S. 280.
Lauren Buchanan carving out impressive legacy for the Hornets.
See page A16
See page B1