Stephen Dean Berry (1947-2020)

BERRY, MURPHY, LOWER, TIGGES, ZIMPLEMAN, JENKINS, WELDON, JOHNSON, KINJERSKI, LOOMIS, HOLENA, HENDRICKSON, VEVEA-SCHWEITZER, VEVEA-PFEIFFER, LOWER-HOLMES

Posted By: Ken Wright (email)
Date: 5/21/2020 at 12:39:30

STEPHEN DEAN BERRY Parnell Stephen Dean Berry was born Feb. 10, 1947, in Sigourney, Iowa. He is the son of Dean Clement Berry and Margaret Clare Murphy Berry, who resided in Armah Township. Steve passed on Monday, April 27, 2020, surrounded by the love of his brothers and sisters who will miss him dearly and forever cherish his memory.

Steve grew up in Parnell and graduated from Williamsburg High School in 1965, where he played basketball and was an Iowa state meet finalist in track. He graduated from Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa, in 1969.

He was a member of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Parnell until it closed and then attended Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in North English and St. Mary's Catholic Church in Williamsburg.

A history major in college, Steve's life was defined by his love for reading and gathering information. He was an avid reader of books, newspapers and periodicals. He was not only well read, but whip smart, witty and a great conversationalist. He always was up to date on politics, economics and sports of every type and at every level. He was a true-blue Hawkeyes and Minnesota Twins fan, but on any given day you might find Steve rooting for Iowa State, Northern Iowa, Drake, the New England Patriots, the Packers, the Chiefs, the Bears, the Brewers, the Cubs, the Royals, the Cardinals and many other teams because, for Steve, there was no such thing as too much sports! Steve also had a magic touch in the garden. He loved to garden and plant flowers. He was the crew chief on the Berry family tomato farm and was patient and kind when teaching his younger brothers and sister the proper way to tend a field.

Steve is survived by his siblings, Mary (George) Lower, Chesterfield, Mo., Joanne (David) Tigges, North Liberty, Bernard Berry, Stilwell, Kan., Dr. William (Darlene) Berry, Marshfield, Wis., Kathleen (Larry) Zimpleman, Cumming, and Dean (Diane) Berry, Williamsburg, Va. He leaves nieces and nephews who loved their Uncle Steve and the memories of riding with him in what they dubbed the "Magic Car" over the country roads around Parnell, drinking Pepsi … from the bottle: Lauri (Scott) Jenkins, Maggie (Shannon) Lower, Tim (Lauren) Lower, Anne (Sean) Weldon, Jennifer (Ryan) Johnson, Nicole (Jamie) Kinjerski, Erica (David) Loomis, Maria Berry, Dave Berry, Kaitlin Berry, Hannah (Dan) Holena, Betsy Berry/Mike Hendrickson, Danielle (Thomas) Vevea-Schweitzer, Rebecca (Daniel) Vevea-Pfeiffer, Christopher Zimpleman, Thomas (Anne King) Zimpleman, Melanie Berry and Aleck Berry. Steve had great-nieces and -nephews who will come to know him by the stories we will continue to tell them: Jackson, Courtney and Katie Jenkins, Jasper and Rowan Lower-Holmes, William and Chloe Lower, Luke, Flaherty and Finn Weldon, Ezekiel Johnson, Cadence and Alexander Kinjerski, Kennedy, Reagan and Carter Loomis, Gus and Henry Holena, Otto Berry, Jack and Lola Schweitzer, Max Pfeiffer and Nathaniel and Greta Zimpleman.

Steve was preceded in death by his parents and a nephew, Jeff Zimpleman.

The family wants to thank the doctors and nurses in the ICU and Palliative Care Units at the University Hospital in Iowa City for taking care of Steve. In these difficult times, the staff made an extra effort to keep the family updated on Steve's care and to provide an opportunity for each one of us to talk to Steve before he left us. Steve was an organ donor.

A celebration of Steve's life and internment at Armah Cemetery will be scheduled at a later date. Memorials may be directed to the Armah Cemetery Association, c/o White State Bank, 209 Main St., P.O. Box 68, South English, IA 52335; the Parnell Little League; or a charity of your choice.

Powell Funeral Home in Williamsburg is caring for arrangements. Messages and tributes may be left at www.powellfuneralhomes.com .
Published in The Gazette on May 1, 2020