William “Bill” Berry, age 75, of Allen, Texas passed away April 29,2013 at his home. Bill was born Billie Gregg Fuqua to his mother , Avadelle, on OCTOBER 11, 1937 in Big Spring, Texas. He was raised by his mother and grandmother. For much of his early life, Bill guided himself to become a man, as there was not a man present to do so. Avadelle remarried to Garland Berry, and in Garland Bill found his father. At age 14, Bill changed his legal name to “William G. Berry.”
Bill graduated from Sherman High School in 1955. He attended Austin College on an athletic scholarship playing football, and his high school sweetheart, Shirley Stevens, and he were the first couple married in Wynne Chapel at Austin College after the mortar dried. He turned down an opportunity to try out for the Baltimore Colts and chose to attend Law School at the University of Texas. After graduating number 2 in his class, he began work in Dallas at the law firm Coon, Dedman, May, Hoffman and Associates. He decided to go in-house as a lawyer in 1964, working for General Dynamics, Emerson Electric, Lee Way Motor Freight and Frito Lay. He retired from Frito Lay in 1992 as VP of Labor Relations.
Bill was a wonderful husband, father and grandfather. He was married to Shirley for 54 years, 2 years shy of Bill’s parents’ lifespans. He coached his sons’ football and baseball little league teams and taught them the joy of competition and winning and helped instill their sense of goal setting and acquisition. He was a very strong presence in his grandchildren’s lives, attending all school functions, plays, open houses, football, basketball, volleyball, baseball games and dance recitals.
Bill Berry was a singular man, and there will never be another like him.
A memorial service will be held at 4:00 p.m., Saturday, May 4, 2013, at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Chapel in Allen, Texas. A remembrance gathering will take place on Friday evening from 7:00 – 9:00 p.m. at the funeral home.