Bobby Berry

Robert “Bobby” Ray Berry of Hamilton, MS passed away Friday March 22, 2024 at Oak Tree Manor Assisted Living Facility in Amory, MS. He was 86 years old. Bobby was born January 4, 1938 in Hamilton, MS to Connie and Robbie Sanders Berry. Bobby was a 1957 graduate of Hamilton High School and a lifelong member of the Hamilton community. You never saw Bobby without a smile on his face. In fact, during his senior year in high school, his favorite quote was “Laugh and the whole world laughs with you; Frown and it wrinkles your face.” His kind and gentle nature was well known throughout his beloved community, and he was loved by all who knew him. Most importantly, Bobby was a Christian and loved his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and his joy in the Lord was clearly evident in his love for people. 

As a young man, Bobby gave up much of his personal time to care for his parents when they became ill. After the death of her husband, Bobby brought his sister Floyce into his home and helped her raise her three sons as if they were his own children. In 1991, at age 53, Bobby married Betty Avery Ray. He not only gained a loving wife, but became a father to her three children, Paula, Kim and Jonathan. He later became “Gramps” to 8 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren. Betty was his loyal companion and caregiver until her death in 2022. After her death, their children continued his care and loved him dearly until his death.

Bobby joined the National Guard in 1956 and retired in 1990 after 34 years of service to his country. He was employed at Union Carbide (later Praxair) for 30 years and was always the first man on the job to open the gate. After retirement, Bobby was asked to become a bus driver for Hamilton School. He agreed to try it for a year, and that became a 14 year position. For many of those years, he drove two routes, but his favorite thing to do was driving students on school field trips. He was twice named the Hamilton School Bus Driver of the Year and the Monroe County Bus Driver of the Year. After retirement from driving, he occasionally still volunteered to drive for school field trips. His love was working with the children.

Because of his strong love for his community, Bobby was active in many aspects of the Hamilton community and Monroe County. He was a member of the Lion’s Club, volunteer for the Living Hope Food Pantry, charter member of the Hamilton Gospel Sing Club which served to raise money for the Hamilton Band and he served for 20 years on the board of directors for the Hamilton Water District. In addition, he helped raise money to create the Hamilton walking track and often helped with lawn maintenance at the track and cut grass for Seely Cemetery and Pleasant Hill Cemetery. Along with his cousin, Lena Mae Oliver, Bobby was honored as a Hamilton Outstanding Citizen of 2010.

One of Bobby’s great joys in life was serving as a member and officer of the Hamasa Shriners Club and driving the hospital van to take children for surgeries to the Shriners Hospitals in Louisiana and Texas. In 1988, Bobby was awarded the Community Service Award from Woodmen of the World for helping so many children. Union Carbide also honored Bobby with an Outstanding Community Service award for his tireless work with children and raising money for the Hamilton Band. In addition, Bobby was a member of the Walter W. Kimmel Masonic Lodge (later named Masonic Lodge #32) in Aberdeen, MS. He served twice as the Master of the Lodge and gained a lifetime membership of the organization. 

For Bobby, his church was a dear and essential part of his life. Over the years, Hamilton Methodist, Friendship Methodist and New Prospect Baptist were his church homes. He spent many years as a Lay Speaker for the Methodist Church. For almost 40 years, Bobby was a faithful member of New Prospect Baptist Church in Lackey, MS where he served as a deacon, treasurer, Sunday School teacher and Superintendent, and chairman and driver for the bus ministry. Bobby was loved and respected by anyone who was privileged to know him.  He will truly be remembered and loved.

Bobby is survived by two daughters, Paula (Gary) Otts and Kim (Roman) Brown and one son, Jonathan (Jamie) Ray, all of Hamilton. In addition, Bobby was a devoted and loving “Gramps”  to 8 grandchildren: Skyler, Braxton (Alex) and McKellar Conwill (Hailee Jones), Selah Brown, McKedzie (Locke) Crump, and Jaydan, Jordan and Jessa Ray and 4 great-grandchildren: Avery, Cohen and Halsey Conwill and Nevaeh Conwill. Survivors also include his three nephews: Larry (Connie) Otts, Dale (Donna) Otts and Mark (Julia) Doucette.

Aside from his parents, Bobby was preceded in death by his wife, Betty Lou Avery (Ray) Berry, sister Floyce Berry Doucette and brother Charles “Chuck” Berry.  

Visitation will be held on Tuesday March 26th from 5:00 until 7:00 pm at Tisdale-Lann Memorial Funeral Home in Aberdeen, MS. Family may arrive an hour prior for a private visitation. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday March 27th at 11:00 am at New Prospect Baptist Church in Lackey, MS with Rev. John Maxey officiating. Serving as pallbearers are Dale Otts, Jeff Otts, Skyler Conwill, Braxton Conwill, McKellar Conwill and McKedzie Crump. Honorary pallbearers are Larry Otts and Mark Doucette. A graveside service will be held immediately following the service, with burial in New Prospect Cemetery in Lackey.

Memorials may be made in Bobby’s honor to the Shriners hospital or New Prospect Baptist Church in Lackey, MS.