Raymond L. Berry Jr.

Raymond L. Berry, Jr., age 94, of Palm Beach, FL, and Glenview, IL, died Thursday, May 15, 2025, in Glenview. Devoted son of the late Raymond L. and Evelyn, née Salvador, Berry, he was born August 5, 1930, in Chicago. Former owner / operator of the Berry Tire Company.
Beloved husband of the late Eileen, née Coughlin; dear father of Linda (Jim) Nicholas, Kathryn (the late Jim Hilton) Berry, the late Tom Berry, and the late Carolyn (the late Richard) Ress; loving grandfather to Amy Nicholas (Austin) Flynn, Michael Nicholas, Rachel Ress (David) Burner, Robert (Bridget) Ress, Rebecca Ress, Max (Alison) Hilton, and Patrick Hilton; cherished great-grandfather of Sophie Hilton and August Flynn; fond brother of the late Joan F. Berry.
Ray led a remarkable life centered around family, friends, and faith. He graduated from St. Margaret Mary grammar school, Loyola Academy, and Marquette University where he met many lifelong friends.
In 1952 he married Eileen Coughlin and began raising a family while serving our country in the US Navy stationed in California. This is where his daughters, Linda and Carolyn were born. He earned the rank of Lieutenant JG before being called back to Chicago to help in the family business, Berry Tire Company, after his father's stroke.
This was not the first time he was called upon to help, growing up during the Depression he ran a gas station and collected gasoline ration coupons from 8th grade through high school. As an adult he managed the business, eventually expanding it into five Chicagoland wholesale and retail locations with close to 100 employees. For many years Berry Tire held the distinction of Chicagoland's largest Goodyear Tire distributor. Over the years Ray influenced his employees and provided opportunities for continuing education and Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) certification. Ray also served as a board of director with the Automotive Wholesalers of Illinois (AWOI).
Back in the Chicagoland area Ray's daughter, Kathryn and son Tom were born and the family resided in Glenview and Northfield. During this time Ray served on the St Philip the Apostle's school board and was involved in many parish activities. Later in life he volunteered tutoring children in math at the House of Good Shepard in Chicago. Family was the center of his life with many family trips domestically, to Ireland and Europe. Bopbop was dearly loved by his seven grandchildren, two great grandchildren and the 'adopted' Bopbop to many of their friends.
An avid caretaker of his own health, he invested daily in maintaining an active lifestyle including running, golf, sailing, walking, and biking. A love of sailing and a nod to his Navy career, he also served as the Commodore of Valley Lo Sports Club. Once running, sailing, and biking became too rigorous, he maintained a walking and golfing routine through his nineties and attributed his long life to these activities.
Visitation, Friday, May 23, 2025, from 9:15 a.m. until time of Mass of Christian Burial, 10 a.m., at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, 1775 Grove St. (at Church St.), Glenview.
Interment, All Saints Catholic Cemetery, Des Plaines.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to House of the Good Shepherd, P.O. Box 83328, Chicago, IL 60691 (hgschicago.org).
Funeral info: 847.673.6111 or to view the full obituary and leave a condolence message, please go to habenfuneral.com. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Raymond, please visit our floral store.