Mr. James Alvin Beam

Mr. James Alvin Beam, known as "Alvin" and "Chipmonk", 85, of 2107 Old Mountain Rd. Statesville, died Wednesday April 21st at Iredell Memorial Hospital. Born in Davie Count on March 5, 1925, he was a son of the late Richard Gannon Beam and Edna Mae Taylor Beam. He was a retired fixer with Southern Screw Company and was an active member of Bethlehem United Methodist Church and in the Men's Sunday School Class. During World War II he worked in the Naval Ship Yard at Norfolk, Va. building ships. He loved to rabbit hunt, fish and enjoyed baseball. He was the last surviving child of a family with thirteen children. He was twice married, first to the former Reba Morrison and then to the former Evelyn Malone, both of whom preceded him in death. He was also preceded in death by a great grand daughter, Jessice Wilhelm.

Survivors include two daughters, Donna Shoaf and her husband, Ray and Glenda Beam and her husband Reyes Hernandez-Sandova all of Statesville. Also surviving are grandchildren: Jamie Witherspoon (Scarlet), Clint Witherspoon, Dawn LeFaivre (John) and Scott Rumple (Joy), and great grandchildren: Wayne Slaughter, Kailey Rumple, Amanda Casper, Chris Witherspoon ande Mickey Roseman, Jr.

Services celebrating Mr. Beam's life will be conducted at 11:00 Saturday at Bethlehem United Methodist Church with Rev. Jack Danley, Rev. Joe Woodward and Rev. Olin Isenhour officiating. He will lie in state at the church for thirty minutes prior to the service and burial will follow in the church cemetery. Active Pallbearers will be: Jamie, Clint and Chris Witherspoon, David Bruce, Scott Rumple, Wayne Slaughter, John LaFaivre and Brandon Byers. Honorary pallbearers will be: members of the Men's Sunday School Class of Bethlehem United Methodist Church.

The family will receive friends in the church fellowship hall immediately following the service and will be at their respective homes at other times. Condolences may be sent on line to the family to www.bunchjohnsonfuneralhome.com. Memorials may be given to the Bethlehem United Methodist Church 607 Bethlehem Rd. Statesville, N.C. 28677 or to the Bethel Baptist Church Building Fund 1162 E. Monbo Rd. Statesville, N.C. 28677. Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home is entrusted with the arrangements.

The family extends special thanks to and acknowledges his very special friends, David Bruce, Doris McNeely and Sandy Summers.