Zona Mildred Peterson

WESTMINSTER, Md. — Zona Mildred Peterson, 61, died Friday (Sept. 17, 1999) at her home after an extended illness.

Born Oct. 16, 1937, in Salisbury, N.C., Mrs. Peterson was a daughter of Dorothy Mildred Dennis Yarboro of Salisbury and the late David Alvin Yarboro.

Mrs. Peterson graduated from Spencer High School in 1956 and worked at Dixie Diner. She worked at Spinning Wheel Pub, Taneytown, and Bendix at NASA.

Mrs. Peterson was a deputy sheriff with the Carroll County Sheriff’s Department and later secretary to the sheriff. She was a member of the Federal Order of Police Lodge.

Survivors include husband Elton “Pete” Miller Peterson; sons Christopher Miller Peterson, Westminster, Craig Scott Herring, Timonium, David Scott Peterson, Mechanicsburg, Penn.; daughters Dana Peterson Derr, Baltimore, Tamara Peterson Herring, Timonium, Jennifer Peterson Holland, Sarasota, Fla.; brother Fred Yarboro, Salisbury, N.C.; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Services: 11 a.m. Tuesday, Pritts Funeral Home and Chapel, Westminster. Entombment, Evergreen Memorial Gardens Mausoleum.

Visitation: 7 to 9 tonight, and 2 to 4 p.m. and 7 to 9 p.m. Monday.

Memorials: Hospice of Carroll County, 95 Carroll St., Westminster, Md. 21157.

Glenna Mildred Bell

Glenna Mildred Bell, 85, Salisbury died Friday (Sept. 17, 1999) at Genesis Eldercare after 10 months of declining health and serious illness for the past two months.

Born Oct. 12, 1913, in Bellfountain, Ohio, Mrs. Bell was a daughter of the late Clifford and Mae Hockett Lile. Educated in Bellfountain, Ohio, schools, she worked in the restaurant and food service business and was last employed by Catawba College. A charter member of Morlan Park Church of God, she was active as long as her health permitted.

Her husband, Maurice H. “Jack” Bell, died March 22, 1968.

Survivors include sons Gary Bell, Salisbury, Glenn Bell, Mount Zion, Ill., Lloyd Bell, Rockwell, James “Jim” Bell, Concord, and Donnie Bell, China Grove; daughter, Glenna Wood, Rockwell; 15 grandchildren; and 20 great-grandchildren.

Services: 11 a.m. Monday, Morlan Park Church of God, conducted by the Rev. Brian McMasters, pastor, Morlan Park Church of God. The body will be placed in the church at 10:30. Burial, Rowan Memorial Park.

Visitation: 5 to 7 p.m. Sunday, Lyerly Funeral Home. At other times the family will be at the home of daughter Glenna Wood, Rockwell.

Memorials: Morlan Park Church of God, 121 Carolina Blvd., Salisbury, N.C. 28146.

Ruby Lee Jones

Ruby Lee Jones, 93, formerly of 301 Carolina Blvd., died Saturday (Sept. 18, 1999) at Autumn Care after two years of declining health and five days of serious illness.

Born Oct. 9, 1905, in Rowan County, Miss Jones was a daughter of the late Joseph Johnson and Minnie Mae Hartman Jones. Educated in Salisbury City Schools, she was formerly employed by N.C. Finishing Co. A member of Southeast Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses, she witnessed door to door while able.

She is survived by sister Katherine J. King, Salisbury.

Services: Memorial, Kingdom Hall at a later date.

Mitchell and Fair Funeral Service is in charge.

Floyd ‘Pop’ Kerr Jr.

Floyd Alexander “Pop” Kerr Jr., 69, formerly of 518 Meredith Ave., Lexington, died Thursday (Sept. 16, 1999) at Hefner VA Medical Center after three weeks of serious illness.

Born Dec. 31, 1929, in Salisbury, Mr. Kerr was a son of the late Floyd A. and Genolia Partee Kerr. A graduate of J.C. Price High School, he was a self-employed contractor and a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean War.

He was preceded in death by a son, James B. Kerr.

Survivors include wife Annie Jo Alexander Kerr; sons Floyd Kerr III and Tim Davis, both of Salisbury; daughters Carlotta Hargrave and Antionette Genola Kerr, both of Lexington; 15 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

Services: Noon Tuesday, A.R. Kelsey Memorial Chapel, Noble and Kelsey Funeral Home, conducted by the Rev. Charles Eric Susong. Burial, National Cemetery, Salisbury, with military rites by Rowan Veterans Council.

Visitation: 11:30 a.m. Tuesday at the funeral home. At other times, the family will be at 525 E. Fisher St.

Ronald Bruce Lanier

Ronald Bruce Lanier, 51, 2002 E. Innes St., and formerly of South Main Street, died Saturday (Sept 18, 1999) at his residence after a year and a half of declining health and a serious illness of five months.

Born Nov. 12, 1947, in Lexington, Mr. Lanier was the son of Bruce C. and Juanita Hefner Lanier of Salisbury. Educated in Lexington and Salisbury city schools, he graduated from Riverside Military Academy in Gainesville, Ga., and attended Pfeiffer University. A U.S. Army veteran of the Vietnam War, he received the Purple Heart, two Bronze Stars and two Army Accommodation medals. He was a disabled veteran and helped his father in the automobile business. He volunteered more than 1,300 hours at the Hefner VA Medical Center.

Survivors, including his parents, are brother Tony Wade Lanier, Gold Hill; and sister Mitzi Marie Lanier of Greensboro.

Services: 2:30 p.m. Monday, Coburn Memorial United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. David Kelley, the Rev. Randi Godfrey of Seaside United Methodist Church, Seaside, and the Rev. S.B. “Doc” Warner of Bethel and Cornatzer churches, Mocksville. The body will be placed in the church at 2. Burial, 4 p.m., Forest Hill Memorial Park, Lexington; military rites by Rowan County Veterans Council.

Visitation: 7 to 9 tonight, Summersett Funeral Home. At other times the family will be at the residence on East Innes Street.

Memorials: Coburn Memorial United Methodist Church, 901 S. Church St., or Rowan Regional Home Health and Hospice, 825-A W. Henderson St., both Salisbury, N.C. 28144.

Rev. Vernon Morton

Born July 28, 1907, in Montgomery County, the Rev. Morton was the son of the late Joe Turner and Priscilla Dennis Morton. He was a graduate of Rutherford College, High Point College and Duke Divinity School. He was ordained in 1929 and had been a member of the Western North Carolina Conference of the United Methodist Church since then. He served as a Methodist pastor in many communities in the Western Conference and since 1972 as a volunteer at Chandler’s Grove United Methodist Church in the Badin Lake area.

His wife, Jennie Raye Floyd Morton, preceded him in death.

Survivors include son Bruce Morton, Fancy Gap, Va.; daughter Romona Clapp, Kernersville; two brothers, J.T. Morton, Thomasville and Alfred Morton, Ft. Gaines, Ga.; sister Minnie Whitley, Albemarle; five grandchildren; and one great-grandchild.

Services: 2 p.m. Monday, Uwharrie United Methodist Church, conducted by the Rev. Glen Hancock and the Rev. Derald Smith. Burial, church cemetery.

Visitation: 6 to 7:30 tonight, Briggs Funeral Home, Denton.

George W. Petrea Jr.

KANNAPOLIS — George Washington Petrea Jr., 72, formerly of North Main Street, died Saturday (Sept. 18, 1999) at Hefner VA Medical Center, Salisbury.

Lady’s Funeral Home is in charge.

Jimmie Scruggs

COLUMBIA, S.C. — Jimmie Ray Scruggs, 54, Columbia, brother of Joan Scruggs Jones, Spencer, died Friday (Sept. 17, 1999).

Services: 4 p.m. Monday, Spring Valley Presbyterian Church.

Visitation: After services in the social hall of the church.

Memorials: Spring Valley Presbyterian Church, 125 Sparkle Berry Lane, Columbia, S.C. 29223.

‘Blondie’ Similton

KANNAPOLIS — Ethelene “Blondie” Similton, 55, 515 Ford Street, died Friday (Sept. 17, 1999) at her home.

Born July 5, 1944, in Kannapolis, Mrs. Similton was a daughter of the late Melvin and Janie Similton.

She is survived by daughter Tanya Similton Kirk, Kannapolis; son Marlon Similton, Kannapolis; sisters Ella S. Rice, Kannapolis and Debra Gordon, Charlotte; brother Billy Similton, Concord; and seven grandchildren.

Services: 4 p.m. Tuesday, First Baptist Church, conducted by the Rev. P.C. Holland. Burial, Bethel Cemetery, Kannapolis.

Visitation: 7 to 8 p.m. Monday, Bryant-Lytle-Young Funeral Chapel.

Mabel Albright Watkins

ALBEMARLE — The funeral was Saturday for Mable Albright Watkins, 83, 49641 Buck Drive, who died Friday (Sept. 17, 1999) at her daughter’s home.

Born Jan. 25, 1916, in Rowan County, Mrs. Watkins was a daughter of the late William Archie and Florence Collie Albright. A homemaker, she was a member of First Lutheran Church.