William Donald Berry

Dr. William (Doc) Berry had wheels up at 2:50 p.m. Saturday, August 17, 2014, for his final flight. He was born on January 6, 1920, in Amarillo, Texas to parents Wesley and Willa Berry. From Amarillo the family relocated to New York and eventually relocated to Los Angeles. He graduated from UC Davis in 1940. Upon graduation he began the pursuit of his love of flying. He studied to become a civilian pilot and trained for Advanced Aerobatics. On November 4, 1941, he was sworn into the Army Air Corps, and reported for duty at Cal-Aero Army Academy in Ontario, California. Bill was trained on numerous airplanes. While stationed at the Las Vegas McCarran Army Air Field, where he flew AT6s and Douglas A-33, Vega Ventura B-24 Twin-engine bomber, he met and married his first wife, Bonnie Crone. He was transferred to Dodge City Army Air Field in Kansas for completion of training on the B-26 Marauder. He was promoted to Captain and became an instructor, later, a group commander. He eventually became the Operations Officer for flight training of new pilots for the B-25 Mitchell and remained in that position until his 1945 discharge at Lowery Field in Denver, Colorado. Bill continued to serve in the Air Force Reserves, where he was promoted to the rank of Major. Despite Bill’s love of flying and his plan to become a commercial pilot, he decided to pursue a career in dentistry. He completed his pre-med/dental pre-requisites at the University of California, Berkeley. He graduated from the U.S.C. School of Dentistry in 1952. For the next three years, he practiced dentistry in Fairfield, California before relocating his practice to Las Vegas. This began a great Las Vegas epoch which culminated after 50 years of dentistry. In addition to his practice, he served as Secretary/Treasurer of the Nevada Dental Association, President of the Southern Nevada Association, President of the Nevada State Dental Society, and six years of service on the State Board of Dental Examiners and another year as President. During his many years of practice, Dr. Berry had the pleasure of meeting and caring for people from all walks of life, including local celebrities, Hank and Barbara Greenspun, Joan Adams Shoofey, Miss Nevada, and such notables as Elvis Presley, Joan Crawford, Forrest Mars and others. Bill had a deep and abiding appreciation and gratitude for the many years of loyalty from the thousands of patients he served, many of whom became his true friends. Wild Bill never lost his love of flying. Through the years he owned and flew many different aircraft. He logged numerous hours in the sky. He flew his last Cessna Turbo 210 well into his 70's. His son George continues the family tradition of flying as a captain with American Airlines. The many faceted, Bill Berry, was an avid sportsman. He cherished the numerous hunting, fishing and camping trips he shared with his son George and eventually with his grandchildren. He was known to have changed a few diapers while on scouting trips with them. Those hunting genes run deep in George and Nicholas, the "hunting fools." Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Willa and Wesley Berry, a sister Bertie Mae and his first wife Bonnie Jean Crone Berry. He is survived by his two children from that marriage, Suzanne (Mark) Van Aken and George (Susan) Berry. In addition, he is survived by Cora, his loving and loyal wife of 31 years. To his surviving and adoring grandchildren, Kelly Van Aken, Cory Van Aken, Nicholas Berry and Taylor Berry, he was lovingly known a "Grandpa" or "Papa." Great grandchildren, Oliver Van Aken, Stella Van Aken, Harrison Van Aken, Hugh Van Aken, and Everett Van Aken.