Leon K. Berry Jr., 94
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Leon Kim Berry Jr., 94, of 900 Tamiami Trail, South 430, Venice, Fla., formerly of North Adams, died on May 7, 2015, at Venice Hospital, after a brief illness.Born in North Adams on March 4, 1921, son of Leon K. and Ruth Franchere Berry, he graduated from Drury High School in 1939 and later from Becker Junior College and The School of Banking at Rutgers University.
A Coast Guard veteran of World War II, he served at stations on the East and West coasts, and aboard a ship off Alaska and the Aleutian Islands, attaining the rate of chief storekeeper.
Mr. Berry retired in 1983 as president of the former Hoosac Savings Bank after 31 years of service, which began as a teller in the former North Adams Savings Bank.
He was a founding director and treasurer of the North Adams Ambulance Service. He was a member of Frank R. Stiles Post 125 American Legion and a lifelong member of the former St. John's Episcopal Church.
He and his wife, the former Irene C. Pelletier of North Chelmsford, had been married 69 years.
Besides his wife, he leaves three daughters, Susan Spooner of North Adams, Ellen Chilabato and her husband, Patrick, of Rhode Island, and Janet Berry; a brother, Albert Berry and his wife, Freida; five grandchildren, Rebecca Cellana and her husband, Curt, Stephen Spooner, Lauren Aleixo and her husband, Alessandro, and Patrick and Joseph Chilabato; six great-grandchildren, Alison, Julia and Caroline Cellana, Caitlyn Spooner and Kai and Mila Aleixo, and many nieces and nephews.
Another daughter, Anne, died in infancy.
FUNERAL NOTICE — Graveside services for Mr. Berry will be held in North Adams on Saturday, July 18. Donations in his memory may be made to the charity of the donor's choice.