Bernice Hester passed away quietly Tuesday morning, Sept. 6, 2005, at Mitchell-Hollingsworth Nursing Home in Florence.She was born Sept. 27, 1917, in Spruce Pine, Ala. She was a resident of Florence since 1940. A graduate of Phil Campbell High School, she was valedictorian of her class. She attended Athens College, Athens, Ala., and graduated from Florence State Teachers College (now University of North Alabama). She received her master's degree in education from Peabody/Vanderbilt, Nashville, Tenn.She taught for a number of years at Sheffield High School and taught at the U.S. Air Force High School in Wiesbaden, Germany. She was a Fulbright exchange teacher in Puna, India, and finished her teaching career at Bradshaw High School in Florence. She was voted favorite teacher of Alabama while at Bradshaw. She was a member of Delta Kappa Gamma.Bernice was an active member of First United Methodist Church, of Florence, serving as youth director of the church in the late 1940s. She served her country in the U.S. Navy and was a lifetime member of American Legion Post No. 11 in Florence.She was a Girl Scout summer camp director and had devoted much of her time as a volunteer for the American Red Cross.Bernice was a true world traveler; she circled the globe several times and visited more than 100 countries.Bernice was preceded in death by her parents, William Herbert Hester and Elizabeth Britton Hester; sister, Eunice Hester Hoffmeister; and brother-in-law, George Hoffmeister.She is survived by a brother, Herbert Hester and his wife, Arlene Hester.The family will receive friends at Greenview Funeral Home today, Sept. 8, 2005, from noon-2 p.m. Funeral services will follow at 2 p.m. in Greenview Memorial Chapel, with burial to follow in Greenview Memorial Park. Officiating at the service will be the Rev. Dr. David Kidd Sr., minister of Hillsboro Presbyterian Church, of Nashville, Tenn.The family requests memorials to your favorite charity.Greenview Funeral Home, of Florence, is directing.