Berry Gannaway

1943 - 2025

Berry Gannaway, a sixth generation Texan passed away June 10, 2025 from heart failure. His wife of 60 years, Jackie and son Berry, Jr, were at his bedside. A native Austinite, Berry was born 3-14-1943 to Allwyn Gannaway and Margaret Barker Gannaway.

He attended Pease and Casis Elementary, O'Henry Junior High and graduated from Austin High. He made lifelong friends during those years. He attended Sam Houston college.

Berry's mother was a Barker, one of the original settling families in Oak Hill. In the early 1800s five Barker brothers owned 10,000 acres in Oak hill stretching from what is now Oak Park through Circle C subdivisions.

In childhood Berry spent much time on his grandparents' 250 acre ranch on Brodie Lane, learning about ranching and exploring the caves on Slaughter Creek.

In 1964 he married Jackie Moon. The beginning of a 60 year marriage.

In 1970 at age 27, he and a few friends built Berry and Jackie's first owned home on 5 acres of his grandparents' ranch. He visited that house this year - it is still occupied, sitting peacefully on its 5 acres.

His work life ran the gamut. Summer jobs during high school with a few friends were unloading lumber from boxcars for FH Nugent (in 100+ degree weather). They were paid weekly ($1.50 per hour) and Berry frequently had to ask for pay advances.

Another summer high school job was driving the City mosquito spraying truck. (It's possible he might have sprayed the yards of his friends while they were waving from their front yards).

After marriage he was a milkman for Superior Dairies (lasted 5 minutes), He then was a Texas DMV title examiner in a windowless basement (lasted 10 minutes).

His next job was plant foreman for Bob and Margaret Kelly's company ILCOR, builder of many of the portable school buildings Austin needed in the 1970s and 80s. Berry was made for that job and it lasted many years.

Then he became an independent building contractor, remodeling houses. During this time he always had a ranch. (Going from Dripping Springs to Brady to Richland Springs.).

He was friends from childhood with the Two Alarm Chili Family and was actually a model in newspaper ads for them. His big smile and cowboy hat introduced people nationwide toTwo Alarm Chili.

During this time (since his grandfather and his ranching made him an actual cowboy) he was a stand-in for actor Barry Corbin in the Austin area filming of Lonesome Dove.

He knew that Bob Dalton's longtime tailor shop at 909 Lamar Blvd. was going to be vacant, and Berry was the originator of Shoal Creek Saloon in that location. He ran it for several years before selling it. Some of the ranching memorabilia from his grandparents' ranch we left as "decor" on the walls.

While doing all these things, he also managed to be the Head Scout for the Austin Founders Trailride for over a decade. The trailride rode (horseback and wagons) for a week from about 140 miles away to Austin. All the participating trailrides rode in a parade down Congress Avenue on the opening Saturday of Rodeo Austin. Quite a spectacle.

For several years he hosted a skeet shoot to benefit the Hall Valley Rod and Gun Club at Richland Springs (profits for scholarships for graduating high school students). He was an officer in the Richland Springs youth rodeo association for many, many years.

He enjoyed seeing the USA on his Harley and eventually had it converted to a 3 wheel Harley Trike.

He even used to play a little golf until his friends made fun of his "ancient golf clubs"

A celebration of his life will be held at 3:00 June 21 at the Feed Lot 604 US-190 in Richland Springs, TX.