Obituary of Jimmy Berry

James “Jimmy” Maurice Berry, Jr, 96, husband of Margaret Katherine Bodie Berry, went to be with the Lord on Sunday, April 13, 2025.  Born in Fork Shoals, he was the son of the late James Maurice Berry, Sr. and Lonie Eskew Berry.  He was a lifelong member of Fork Shoals Baptist Church where he served many terms as a Deacon.  He also served as the Treasurer and Clerk.

Jimmy was a 1951 graduate of Clemson A&M College where he studied Dairy Science.  Following school, he served in the United States Army before ultimately beginning a career that spanned 33 years with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control.  In 1980, he was presented the Charles E. Corley, Jr. Award by the South Carolina Environmental Health Association for his exemplary service to the community.  He retired in 1986 to the life of a country gentleman on the family farm raising Registered Black Angus cattle, including young heifers his grandchildren exhibited in local county fairs.  Through his agricultural endeavors, the Greenville County Livestock Association, with which he was a longtime member, presented him the N.J. Ayers Memorial Award for outstanding service to the livestock industry.  Jimmy was a founding member and Commissioner of the Canebrake Fire Department from 1985 – 1991.

In addition to his wife, Jimmy is survived by a son, James Michael “Mike” Berry (Debbie), a daughter Debra “Kay” Berry Patrick (Ray); five grandchildren, Michelle Berry Grachek (Brett), Michael Berry (Mindy), Mark Berry (Aly), Matthew Patrick (Kathryn), and Katie Patrick Howard (Chip); and ten great grandchildren, Abby, Ava, and Jackson Berry, Grant and Lauren Grachek, Graylin and Harper Berry, Sloane and Hudson Patrick, and Ford Howard.

A Celebration of Life service for Mr. Berry will be held at Fork Shoals Baptist Church at 110 Fork Shoals Church Road, Pelzer, SC on Friday, April 18, 2025 at 1:00 pm.  The family will receive friends following the service.  Interment will be at Greenville Memorial Gardens, 7784 Augusta Rd, Piedmont, following the visitation.  In lieu of flowers, the family requests gifts be directed to the Fork Shoals Baptist Church Cemetery Fund.