Clay Malory Berry

Feb. 11, 1924 - Sept. 24, 2009

BRIDGEPORT -- Clay Malory Berry, 85, of Bridgeport, passed away peacefully Friday morning, Sept. 25, 2009, at Morrill County Community Hospital.

Mass of Christian Burial will be Tuesday, Sept. 29 at 10:30 a.m., at All Souls Catholic Church at Bridgeport with Father David Rykwalder officiating. Interment will be in Rose Hill Cemetery at Broadwater with Military Honors rendered by the Nebraska National Guard.

A rosary will be recited at 6 p.m., Monday, Sept. 28, at the church. Friends may call at the church, Monday from 4 p.m., until the rosary at 6 p.m.

A Memorial has been established to the American Heart Association or the Donor's Favorite Charity.

Jolliffe Funeral Home at Bridgeport is in charge of the arrangements.

His obituary may be viewed at www.jolliffefuneralhome.com, where condolences may be left for his family.

Clay was born Feb.11, 1924, the 11th of 14 children born to Gussie and Nettie (Menefree) Berry at a farmhouse near Hardtner, Kan., located on the Kansas/Oklahoma border. He received his education in the Franklin rural school and Kiowa High School. He was drafted into the U. S. Army in 1943, serving in the Pacific theatre, the Philippines and Japan. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He returned to Oklahoma in time to help move his aging parents to Western Nebraska to a small acreage north of Broadwater.

Clay met his soul mate and the love of his life, Gladys Reiners, Sept. 6, 1946, at Broadwater. They were united in marriage, Dec. 4, 1948, at St. Mary's Catholic Church at Dalton. To this union three children were born and raised a son Dennis and daughters, Pamela and Karen. Clay began working for the Marathon Pipeline Company in 1952 and retired from Marathon in 1980 after 30 years of service. For 25 of those years they lived in the company house five miles east of Gurley. After his retirement, they purchased a home in Alliance. Gladys and he took many trips in their motor home, covering 40 states, Canada and Mexico. In 1995, they moved to Bridgeport.

He was an avid baseball fan. He played on the Broadwater and Gurley town teams and in later years a loyal Colorado Rockies fan. He enjoyed fishing, camping, traveling, playing cards with friends, country music and dancing.

Clay was a devoted family man. He enjoyed all times with his family, especially his wife, children, four grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Survivors include his wife of 61 years, Gladys, son, Dennis (Cora) Berry of McCook, daughters, Pamela (Paul) Logan of Pelican Rapids, Minn., Karen (David) Young of Hartville, Wyo.; grandchildren, Jesse (Elizabeth) Logan, Carly (Lowell) Shutt, Susan Berry, Kodi Gerhold; five great-grandchildren and step-grand and great-grandchildren; sisters, Velma Steward of Cheyenne, Wyo., Neoma Simpson of Orem, Utah and Gussie Fanning of Alva, Okla.; sisters-in-law, Adda Berry of Bridgeport, Dorothy Berry of Lompoc, Calif., and Lydia Berry.

He was preceded in death by his parents, five brothers, five sisters, one great-grandson, uncles, aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, in-laws and host of friends.