ALBEMARLE — Julius Huffham “Pedro”Bivens Jr., 79, 342 Montgomery Ave., died Thursday (March 2, 2000) at Britthaven of the Piedmont.

Born Sept. 5, 1920, in Gastonia, Mr. Bivens was a son of the late Pauline Coggin and Julius Huffham Bivens. He was formerly superintendent of utilities for the city of Albemarle. A U.S. Army Air Force veteran of World War II, heserved as a master sergeant with air transport command.

He was a member of First Presbyterian Church, where he was active in the Men’s Breakfast Group. He was also a member of the Lions Club and a former member of the Rescue Squad.

His wife, Elvira Underwood “Sunshine” Bivens, died in 1993.

Survivors include son J.H. “Butch” Bivens, China Grove; sister Betty Bivens Harper, Rockdale, Texas; and a grandchild.

Services:11 a.m. Saturday, Hartsell Funeral Home’s Lefler Memorial Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Gus Feather. Burial, Palmerville Baptist Church cemetery, New London.

Visitation: 7-8:30 p.m. tonight, Hartsell Funeral Home, Albemarle.

Memorials:Lions Club, P.O. Box 727, Albemarle, N.C. 28002-0727; Palmerville Baptist Church, 40166 Palmerville Church Road, New London, N.C. 28127; or First Presbyterian Church, P.O. Box 417, Albemarle, N.C. 28002-0417.

Versie Driver Hellard

ROCKWELL —

Born Nov. 1, 1911, in Davie County, Mrs. Hellard was a daughter of the late Jo Ellis and Loran Driver. A homemaker, she had also worked at Erwin Mills. She was a lifelong member of First Baptist Church of Cooleemee.

Her husband, Frederick Hellard, died in 1986; and a son, Fred E. Hellard, died in 1995.

Survivors include brother Ralph Driver, Fountain Inn, S.C.; sisters Mrs.J.B. (Pauline) Huddler, Crumpler, and Mrs. Doug (Inez) Gregory, Cooleemee; four grandchildren; 10 great-grandchildren; and three great-great-grandchildren. Services: 2 p.m. Saturday, Eaton Funeral Chapel, conducted by the Rev. Jeff Pennington. Burial, Legion Memorial Park.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight, Eaton Funeral Home.

Memorials: First Baptist Church, P.O. Box 517, Cooleemee, N.C. 27014.

Mildred Taylor Hinson

ALBEMARLE —Mildred Taylor Hinson, 83, 232 Concord Road, died Wednesday (March 1, 2000)at Liberty Commons Nursing Home, Burlington.

Born March 12, 1916, in the Silver Springs community, Mrs. Hinson was a daughter of the late Alfred Alexander and Lillie Ruth Morton Taylor. She was a homemaker and a member of Grace Baptist Church.

Her husband, Carl J. Hinson, died Oct. 30, 1983.

Survivors include daughters Pamela Townsend, New Bern, Barbara Boyle and Betty Carlene Currie, both of Albemarle, and Alice Frick, Rockport, Texas; brother Carl Edward Taylor, Albemarle; five grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.

Services: 3 p.m. Saturday, Grace Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. Dr. James Tucker and the Rev. Tony Allen. The body will be taken to the church at 2:30.

Burial, Fairview Memorial Park.

Visitation: 7-9 tonight, Stanly Funeral Home.

Juanita Helms Morrison

STATESVILLE — Juanita Helms Morrison, 67, 2110 Shelton Drive, died Thursday (March 2, 2000) at her home.

Born May 11, 1932, in Rowan County, Mrs. Morrison was a daughter of the late Maggie Honeycutt and Robert Helms. She was a seamstress.

Mrs. Morrison was preceded in death by a son, Buddy Helms, and a daughter, Wanda Owen.

Survivors include husband Gary Morrison; sons Donnie Owen and Hugh Hartness, both of Statesville; daughters Mrs. Pete (Nancy) Hager, Mooresville, Mrs. Butch (Joyce) Lewis, Jacksonville, and Diane Yates, Statesville; sister Sandra Dunaway, Gold Hill, and Peggy Bost, Salisbury; brothers Clyde Helms and Roy Wagner, both of Salisbury, and Ernest and Gary Wagner, both of Faith; eight grandchildren; and six great-grandchildren.

Services: 2 p.m. Sunday, Community Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. J.R. Speece and the Rev. Clay Dyson. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 6-8 p.m. Saturday, Neill Funeral Home, Mooresville.

Stephanie ‘Step’ Speas

EAST SPENCER — The funeral will be Saturday for Stephanie “Step” Sims Speas, 37, 128 Correll St., who died Wednesday (March 1, 2000) at Beacon Place, Greensboro.

Born Sept. 18, 1962, in Rowan County, Mrs. Speas was a daughter of Beatrice Sims Moser, of the home, and Bosie Mabry. She had attended North Rowan High School and was employed as a restaurant cook. A Baptist, she attended Refreshing Springs Christian Ministry.

Survivors, in addition to her mother, include sons Timothy Sims, Salisbury, and Corey Sims, East Spencer; daughter Kewon Sims, Salisbury; brothers Walter Sims, Sierra Vista, Ariz., and Michael Sims, Salisbury; and sisters Dianne Robinson, East Spencer, Lillie Moser, Salisbury, and Jannie Boyd, Thomasville.

Services: Graveside, 4 p.m. Saturday, Byers Cemetery, conducted by the Rev. Naomi Hopkins, pastor, Refreshing Springs Christian Ministry.

Visitation: No formal visitation. The body will remain at Rowan Funeral Service, Salisbury.

Robert ‘Ran’ Turner III

Robert Randolph “Ran”Turner III, Salisbury, died Wednesday (March 1, 2000).

Born March 19, 1937, in Richmond, Va., Mr. Turner was a son of the late Robert Randolph Turner Jr. and Frances Robinson Turner. He spent his childhood in Wytheville, Va.

A graduate of Virginia Episcopal School, Lynchburg, Va., and Davidson College, he attended the University of Geneva in Switzerland during his junior year in college. He served in the U.S. Navy for three years and achieved the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

In 1963, he moved to Salisbury to work for Wachovia Bank. He later joined Riley-Clay-Turner Insurance Agency, now Central Carolinas Insurance Agency.

He had served on the vestry at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church and was president of the Salisbury Kiwanis Club, the Salisbury YMCA and the Salvation Army. He was a member of the Salisbury Parks and Recreation board and the board of trustees of Virginia Episcopal School, which presented him an Outstanding Service award in October 1999.

Survivors include wife Mary Ellen Hendricks Turner; daughter Ellen Robinson Turner, Atlanta; sons Alexander Knapp Turner, Winston-Salem, and Robert Randolph Turner IV, Aspen, Colo.; brother Thomas Graham Turner, Raleigh; and one grandson.

Services: Graveside services will be held today in the Graham-Robinson Family Cemetery outside of Wytheville, Va. Dr. Robert Lewis of Salisbury will officiate.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, conducted by the Rev. John Southern, the Rev. I. Mayo Little and Dr. Robert Lewis.

Barnett Funeral Home, Wytheville, Va., is in charge.