Mary Elizabeth (Bowden) Berry

Mary Elizabeth (Bowden) Berry – 85
Of Valdosta, GA passed away on Saturday, June 17, 2017 at Langdale Hospice House. Mary Elizabeth Bowden Berry, known to everyone as “Betty”, was born on December 24, 1931 in Tifton, GA to the late Waco and Luttie Bell (Moore) Bowden. She grew up in Adel, GA and in 1946 graduated from Cook County High School when she was 15 years old. The following fall she began nursing school at Grady Memorial Hospital in Atlanta, GA. In 1951, she joined the Air Force and became a surgical technician. Stationed at McChord AFB in Tacoma, WA, she helped to treat wounded combat soldiers returning from the Korean War. In 1952, while at McChord AFB, she met and married the love of her life, Henry Dan Berry, and together they enjoyed traveling with the Air Force to many places in the United States and they lived for two years in Tehran, Iran. After her children were grown, she graduated from the LPN program at Valdosta Tech and worked at South Georgia Medical Center. Betty will be remembered for her strength, her wit, and her sense of humor and her great love for her family. She will be greatly missed. Along with her parents, she was preceded in death by her brothers, Felton Bowden and Bobby Bowden, sister-in-law, Linda Bowden and brother-in-law, Edsel Hensley.
She is survived by her husband of sixty-five years, Henry Dan (Hank) Berry of Valdosta, GA; one son, Bill Berry (Gail) of Valdosta, GA; three daughters, Susan Roberts (Joe) of Naylor, GA, Cathee Bollinger (Mac) of Brunswick, GA and Barbara Newton (Ross) of Macon, GA; eleven grandchildren, Casey Boswell (Amanda), Carrie Richardson (Bill), Ross Boswell (Bree), Diane Steuwe (Jeff), Roxanne Roberts, Heather Roberts, James Newton, Kathleen Newton, Matthew Newton, Tyler Newton and Matthew Snow; six great grandchildren, Julian Boswell, Holly Boswell, Andrew Wood, Kaelyn Gilliard (Brian), Jack Steuwe, Merrissa Boswell and Julia Newton and one great-great grandchild, Liam Gilliard. She is also survived by one sister, Jackie Hensley of Valdosta, GA, two brothers and sisters-in-law, Randall and Jean Bowden of Valdosta, GA, David and Elizabeth Bowden of Kennesaw, GA, and sisters-in-law Shirley Bowden of Jacksonville, FL, and Flo Gillespie of Plano, TX and a number of nieces and nephews.
Funeral services will be held at 2:00 P. M. Wednesday, June 21, 2017 in the Valdosta Chapel of Music Funeral Services with burial to follow in Riverview Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends from 5:00 to 7:00 P.M. Tuesday, June 20, 2017 at the funeral home. Sympathy may be expressed online at www.musicfuneralservice.com . The Berry Family is being cared for by the compassionate and caring staff of Music Funeral Services, Valdosta, GA.