Sarah Margaret Berry

1936 - 2021

Sarah Margaret Berry

Sarah Margaret Berry, age 85, died on Thursday morning, December 23, 2021, at the Northeast Georgia Medical Center in Braselton, Georgia.

She is the daughter of George W. and Okie E. (Cook) Berry and was born March 14, 1936, in Chilhowie, Virginia. She grew up in the Mountain View Methodist Church. Margaret graduated from Chilhowie High School and attended Washington County Tech. After working for Brunswick Corporation for five years, she moved to Florida, There she worked for the YWCA and Woodco Corporation until she met Naval enlistee Bob Berry, and they married in the Naval Base Chapel in Jacksonville.

From there they moved to Savannah, Georgia and after retiring they relocated to Flowery Branch, Georgia. Margaret was one of the founders of Village Craftsmen, a gallery/co-op for arts and crafts on River Street in Savannah, Georgia and was a member there from 1970 to 2000. She traveled for 30 years displaying and selling her art at invitational shows from Virginia to Florida. She also illustrated a book of poetry, "Savannah by the Sea," and was author of "Delicate Scenes in Acrylics," an instructional art book Her painting "Georgia's Thirteen Original Flags" hangs in Memorial Hospital in Savannah, Georgia and she was listed in the book "Artists of Georgia" in the 1980s. She often said "My most precious possessions are my family and the hundreds of friends I have made in my travels." Margaret was also one of the supervisors of Sports Information for the 1996 U.S. Olympics Yachting Venue in Savannah and it was then that she painted her Olympic tribute "Going for the Gold." She also enjoyed volunteering as a member of the Board of Directors at the Savannah Sailing Center. Margaret became a member of the Red Hat Society in 2003 and founded a chapter of the Beta Sigma Phi sorority in Flowery Branch.

She was a devoted wife, a loving mother, and a fun-loving and generous friend to many. Her sense of humor and caring spirit will be missed.

She was preceded in death by her parents; brothers, Marvin, Paul and Frank; sister, Marie Anderson; granddaughter, Avery Elizabeth Birthrong; and daughter-in-law, Virginia Anne Berry. She is survived by her husband, Robert "Bob"; daughter, Cheryl Birthrong (Ron); son, Tim Berry; grandson, Alex Birthrong; and nephews and nieces.

A memorial service will be held at a later date. Arrangements by Byrd and Flanigan Crematory & Funeral Service, Lawrenceville, Ga., 770-962-2200.