Betty Lou Berry

Betty Lou (Avery) Ray Berry passed away on February 18, 2022 in Amory, MS at age 73.  Betty was born in Macon, MS on January 28, 1949 to the late Dr. Joseph Morgan Avery and the late Mary Leslie Poole Avery.  Betty was a 1967 graduate of Macon High School.  Prior to her high school graduation, Betty married Paul Reeth Ray in July 1965.  Betty and Paul were happily married for 23 years and had three children; Paula, Kim and Jonathan Ray.  Betty was a devoted wife and mother and was also very involved in the Hamilton community and a faithful member, pianist and organist for 55 years at New Prospect Baptist Church. Betty’s love for piano led her to teach private piano lessons for many years.  She taught many children and adults from the Hamilton and Aberdeen communities, and all of her students loved her dearly.  Because of her wonderful God given talent and love for her students, Betty pursued a degree in Music Education from the Mississippi University for Women in 1981 and became a piano teacher for Hamilton School and Aberdeen Elementary.  After the death of her husband Paul, Betty went back to school and became certified in elementary education in 1990.  She taught at Hamilton Elementary until her retirement in 2010.  Betty was a devoted educator and loved her students.  She put her heart and soul into her work and her students were a source of great joy in her life.  

In 1991, Betty married Bobby Ray Berry.  Together, she and Bobby loved camping, traveling and enjoyed many trips to the mountains and the beach.  They enjoyed attending church at New Prospect and attending gatherings with the Mason and Shriner organizations.  Above all else, Betty was a woman of God and His light shone brightly through her loving spirit.  Everyone who knew Betty loved her and they immediately knew of her love for God, her spouse, children, grandchildren and her great-grandchildren.  

Betty was preceded in death by her parents, Dr. Joseph and Mary Leslie Avery, her husband Paul Ray, sister Louise Hahn and brother Bill Calcote.  

She is survived by her husband Bobby Berry and her children Paula (Gary) Otts, Kim (Roman) Brown and Jonathan (Jamie) Ray.  In addition, she is survived by 8 grandchildren.  She was a loving and most wonderful Nana to Skyler, Braxton (Alex) and McKellar Conwill, Selah Brown, McKedzie Otts, and Jaydan, Jordan and Jessa Grace Ray.  She was also a loving “Oolou” to her great-grandchildren: Avery, Cohen and Halsey Conwill, and Nevaeh Conwill. 

 Visitation is from 5-7 on Sunday, February 20^th at Tisdale Lann Memorial Funeral home in Aberdeen, MS. 

Funeral services are 1 PM on Monday, February 21^st at New Prospect Baptist Church in Lackey, MS with Bro. John Maxey officiating.  Serving as pall bearers will be Larry Otts, Dale Otts, Mark Doucette, Greg Dahlem, Jeremy Daniel, Dallas Stockman and Lane Stockman.  Burial will follow at New Prospect Cemetery.