George Harold Berry

BERRY, George Harold, 87, of Richmond, died December 31, 2010 from injury from a fall. Born October 17, 1923 in Atlanta, Ga. Survived by his wife of 63 years, Bettye Jean Galusha Graves Berry; their children, Virginia Berry Smith of Richmond and George Harold Berry Jr. of Boston, Mass.; grandchildren, Emily Williamson Smith of New York City, John A. Berry of Seattle, Dorothea Nicole Berry of Asheville, William N. Smith III of Arlington, and Sarah Elizabeth Berry of Denver; and his brother, Reuben M. Berry Jr. of Atlanta. He was predeceased by his parents, Reuben Mastin Berry and Virginia Williamson Berry. Following graduation from Atlanta Boys' High, he entered the 13th Army Air Corps and served in the Pacific Theater for the duration of World War II. He flew over 300 combat missions as a nose gunner in a B24 Liberator, was shot down three times, and was a prisoner of war. He was awarded the Silver and Bronze Stars and earned multiple Sharpshooter medals. After the war he attended Emory University where he was a member of Alpha Tau Omega. He enjoyed a career in pharmaceutical sales with A.H. Robbins and others. He won many tournaments as an avid scratch golfer and loved a good cigar. He never met a stranger or forgot a joke. Following retirement he appeared in several feature films and print advertising for major national companies. In Richmond since 2000, he was a member of St. Seraphim of Sarov Orthodox Church and the ROMEOs (Retired Old Men Eat Out). He was the life of any gathering and will be missed by all. A funeral service will be held at St. Seraphim's, 11009 Old Washington Hwy., Glen Allen (Hanover County) 23059, at 10 a.m. Monday, January 3. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery. The family will receive friends at Bliley's - Central, 3801 Augusta Ave., on Sunday, January 2 from 3 to 5 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to St. Seraphim's, Veterans of Foreign Wars or the Red Cross.


This obituary was originally published in the Richmond Times-Dispatch.