By Staff
September 20, 2005
Funeral for Joe Loucious Berry Sr., 59, of Hartselle was Saturday, Sept. 24, at 3 p.m. at New Song Family Church in Decatur with the Revs. Billy Ray Young and Les Jones officiating and Reynolds Funeral Home directing.
A graveside service with full military honors was Monday, Sept. 25, at 1 p.m. in Wrens, Ga. The Revs. Thomas Berry and Jimmy McCullough III of Ways Grove Baptist Church officiated.
Mr. Berry died Tuesday, September 20, 2005, of respiratory failure at Huntsville Hospital. He was born May 4, 1946, to the late Richard Berry and Mary Lockhart Berry in Wrens, Ga. He was preceded in death by a sister, Lula Mae Goodsen and a brother, Earnest Calvin Berry.
A graduate of the Jefferson County, Ga. School System, he earned a bachelors degree in soil science from Fort Valley State University. He was employed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, Soil Conservation Service and Natural Resources Conservation Service until his retirement as a district conservationist for Madison County in 2003. Previously, he served with the Morgan County Soil Conservation District for a number of years. He was a veteran of the U.S. Army, Army Reserves and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and was retired with the rank of major.
He was a member of Hartselle First Missionary Baptist Church, where he served as chairman of the deacon board, treasurer, chairman of the building committee, superintendent of Sunday School, youth director and adult educator for 15 years.
He served on the Hartselle School Board from 1992 to 2003, when declining health prompted him to forgo another term. He was an active member and two-term past president of Hartselle Jaycees, a Cub Scout leader and a veteran coach and manager of youth softball, baseball, football and basketball teams,
He is survived by his wife, Bertha Johnson Berry of Hartselle; a son, Joe Loucious Berry Jr. and wife Regina of Anniston; two daughters, Daphne Berry of Madison and Stephanie Berry of Hartselle; a granddaughter, Jeterria Salter of Jacksonville; three grandsons, Xavien Pearson of Lincoln, Eric Turner Jr. of Hartselle and Joe Loucious Berry III of Anniston; his mother, Mary Berry of Wrens, Ga.; two sisters, Dollie Roland and Mary Ann Avery of Wrens; five brothers, Richard Berry Jr. and wife Fannie, John Berry and wife Elizabeth, Thomas Berry and wife Frances and Jimmy Berry, all of Wrens, and Henry Berry and wife Ida of Atlanta; two aunts, Lottie Way of Augusta and Leila Cebrooks of Wrens; and a host of nieces, nephews and cousins.
Pallbearers were deacons of First Missionary Baptist Church and members of a military honor guard.
Memorials may be made to Hartselle First Missionary Baptist Church or the American Cancer Society.