Virginia Lou Berry

Virginia Lou Bradley Berry, 85, died Sunday, March 22, 2015 in Abilene nursing center. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m. Thursday, March 26, at Pioneer Drive Baptist Church with Dr. Jeff Reid officiating. Burial will follow in Canon Memorial Cemetery at Stith under the direction of The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. Visitation will be from 6 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, March 25, at the funeral home. Virginia was born September 22, 1929 at Stith in Jones County, Texas to Paul and Bulah Bradley. She married Robert Wayne Berry on May 6, 1949 in the Stith Baptist Church. She was a member of Pioneer Drive Baptist Church. Virginia attended Stith School and graduated from Merkel High School in 1947. She attended Scoggins Beauty School and worked as a cosmetologist in Merkel, Texas, and Bossier City, Louisiana, where Robert was stationed in the U.S. Air Force. Virginia enjoyed being a military career wife. She took great pride in her support of her family, loved traveling, and living not only in the United States, but England and the Philippine Islands during her husband’s Air Force Career. She taught Sunday school to small children in Air Force chapels and Baptist churches at many locations and was a charter member of First Baptist Church, Universal City, Texas. Survivors include her husband of 65 years, Robert Wayne Berry; son, Gary Wayne Berry of Houston; grandchildren, Terry Ricks of San Antonio, Christopher Wayne Berry and wife Lori of Palestine, Texas; Anna Marie Wheatley and husband Brandon of Converse, Texas; Christopher Dwain Berry and fiancée Rachel Fry of Seattle, Washington; Aaron Paul Berry and Kimberly Lynn Berry of Atlanta, Texas. Virginia is also survived by three great-grandchildren, Keegan and Kaylee Wheatley and Ryleigh Paige Berry. She was preceded in death by her parents and daughter, Mary Annette Godwin. Pallbearers will be Christopher Wayne Berry, Christopher Dwain Berry, Aaron Paul Berry, Brandon Wheatley, Jack Stuard and Ken Gregg. Memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Big Country, 4601 Hartford, Abilene, TX 79605.