Herbert E. "Herb" Berry Jr.

1929 - 2024

East Lyme - With deep sadness, we announce the passing of Herbert E. "Herb" Berry Jr., who peacefully passed away Tuesday, Feb. 13, 2024. Herb was born to the late Herbert E. Berry Sr. and Gladys (Gray) Berry May 23, 1929, in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn.

He attended various public schools in Brooklyn, before transferring to Great Neck High School, where he graduated in 1947. It was there that he met his true love and future wife, the late Patricia Ann O'Connell. They were married on Flag Day in 1952, a union that lasted 63 years until Pat's passing in 2015.

After high school, Herb continued his education at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point), graduating first in his engineering class in 1951. He also received the Award for Excellence in Electrical Engineering. As a cadet, he sailed aboard the SS Lakeland Victory to the Far East, visiting ports in Japan, China, Formosa (Taiwan), Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), and the Philippines. In addition to his engineering degree, Herb obtained a third assistant engineer license (3A/E - Engineering Officer) for steam and motor vessels of any horsepower. He was also a wide receiver on the varsity football team. He later pursued further education at the University of Connecticut night school, earning a master's degree in mechanical engineering in 1960. He was also a registered professional engineer (PE). The motto at Kings Point was "Acta Non Verba" (Deeds not Words), which epitomized how Herb lived his adult life. After graduating from Kings Point in 1951, Herb joined the "Atomic Submarine Plant" (Electric Boat Company) in Groton, where he worked for 42 years. His career spanned from SEAWOLF (SSN 575) to SEAWOLF (SSN21). During his 42-year tenure, Herb participated in or directed the company's most successful programs, serving in prominent roles such as nuclear project manager, director of nuclear engineering, and ultimately as vice president-engineering. At Electric Boat, Herb was affectionately known as "Mr. Nuclear" and played a significant role in establishing the company's reputation for excellence in nuclear propulsion. As vice president of engineering, Herb made it a tradition to personally tour the engineering spaces every Christmas holiday, extending warm holiday wishes to every engineer and designer. These tours, which took days to complete, are still fondly remembered and frequently discussed by past and present employees.

While Herb found satisfaction in all the projects he worked on, his most memorable was the Navy's ocean engineering and research submarine, the Deep Submergence Vessel, NR-1. For this project, he served as the design and test manager and was the sole Electric Boat representative during the initial sea trial with the legendary ADM Rickover in 1969. The sea trial was featured in a Newsweek magazine article. He also served as a consultant to authors documenting the submarine's contributions to Cold War clandestine activities. Following the NR-1 project, Herb served as the nuclear project manager for the design and construction of the USS Ohio (Trident Class), the first (newly designed) fleet ballistic missile submarine.

In 1986, Herb was honored with Kings Point's Outstanding Professional Achievement Award in recognition of his exceptional accomplishments. This award is bestowed upon graduates who have "achieved significant personal success in their respective fields, thereby enhancing the reputation of the Academy." True to the spirit of the "Acta Non Verba" tradition, Herb humbly refrained from mentioning this honor to his peers or fellow graduates. He was both a leader and mentor. Herb retired from Electric Boat in 1993 but was invited back the following year to launch the USS Columbia (SSN771). He played a pivotal role as the "trigger man" as then-First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton christened the ship, thereby giving the submarine the title of "The Last Slider," as it was the last American submarine to be launched down a wooden ramp. In his retirement, Herb also served on the Board of the United States Investment Corporation, an insurance company based in Philadelphia.

Herb's dedication to hard work transcended into his personal life. Following his marriage to Pat, they relocated to Groton and established a bustling household with seven children: Patty, Tom, Nancy, Betsy, Tim, Peg and Kate. Their days were filled with a myriad of activities, including involvement in Sacred Heart Church and School, ballet, Little League baseball (where Herb not only served as an umpire but also held the position of president of the Groton City League), participation in the YMCA swim team, leisurely days spent at Eastern Point Beach, weekend excursions for boating adventures at Bushy Point, thrilling surf rides at Watch Hill, and leisurely sails along the Long Island Sound. Among their cherished memories were two unforgettable trips to the World's Fair in Queens, N.Y. in 1964. Throughout their time in Groton, Pat and Herb cultivated enduring friendships that spanned over six decades. In 1969, the Berry family relocated to East Lyme, to a larger home to accommodate the family, where they quickly became part of the community. Pat and Herb coached a girls' softball team to two championships, and they also enjoyed countless family picnics and fourth of July celebrations at their cottage on Pattagansett Lake. Each summer, Pat and Herb would lease the same cottage in Chatham, Cape Cod, and extend invitations to family members for a week of "fun in the sun." These outings frequently overlapped with the O'Connell family's vacations, resembling family reunions. Twice, Pat and Herb treated the entire family to a weeklong vacation at the Disney Resort in Florida, creating everlasting memories for everyone involved. Herb maintained an active lifestyle, often jogging over 100 miles a week, embarking on long bike treks, and enjoying his favorite pastime of splitting firewood with his 16-pound maul. More often than not, Herb would transport the wood in his big GMC pickup to someone that was in need of firewood.

In their later years, Pat and Herb's life centered on their friends and family with their seven children, 21 grandchildren, and numerous great-grandchildren. Together, he and Pat established a Trust that sponsored the college education for all the grandchildren. Herb served as a mentor not only to his children and grandchildren, but also to their friends who sought assistance in subjects like math, science, physics and even calculus. Many recipients of his tutoring sessions credited Herb for helping them achieve passing grades. Fondly referred to as "Pop," his grandchildren regarded him as the "smartest man in the world," and a "living legend" appreciating his extensive knowledge and his willingness to lend a helping hand. Throughout his life, Herb maintained his quick wit and sharp sense of humor. When Herb was asked to be the keynote speaker at a Fitch High School Commencement in the 1980s, his message to the graduates was to live a full life, stating, "The more full your life is, the more fully you live." Herb certainly embodied this philosophy throughout his life. He will be missed but his memory will live on in the hearts of all who knew him.

Herb was predeceased by his loving wife Pat; grandchild Jesse Rando; stepbrother Ernest Berry; and stepsister Beth Rowe. He is survived by his seven children and their spouses; twenty grandchildren; 28 great-grandchildren; and stepbrothers, John Berry of Macon, Ga., and Edward Berry of Boulder, Colo.

A Funeral Mass celebrating Herb's life will be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 22, at St. Matthias Catholic Church, where Herb was a parishioner, located at 317 Chesterfield Road, East Lyme. Interment at the East Lyme Cemetery will be private. Condolences may be shared on Herb's memorial page at www.neilanfuneralhome.com.