Louise Wingate Berry

Louise Wingate Berry lived a life filled with love, joy, strength, and beauty—and she was deeply loved by all who knew her.

Born on October 13, 1942, in St. Louis, Missouri, to Thomas Rosier Wingate and Mildred Hart Wingate, Louise was adopted as a newborn, as was her younger brother Tommy. When Louise was still young, her mother married Chester Park, who became a devoted and wonderful stepfather throughout her life.

Louise grew up in Amarillo, in the panhandle of West Texas. It was there, in eighth grade, that she met the love of her life, Charles Lewis Berry. The two quickly became inseparable. They were class favorites at Amarillo High School—Louise cheering on the sidelines as a Sandy Stepper—and their story continued at Tyler Junior College, where Louise was a proud and well-known Apache Belle. She was also named Football Homecoming Queen and Sophomore Class Beauty, honors that reflected her radiant spirit.

During their sophomore year, Louise and Charles eloped on January 28, 1963. Her mother, Mildred, wasn’t thrilled—Louise was her only daughter, and she had hoped for a big wedding—but Louise didn’t care about any of that. All she wanted was to marry the love of her life. And she did. They went on to be married for nearly 60 years, and as her brother-in-law Woody once said, “Louise was the love of all of our lives.”

Louise and Charles headed to Texas Tech in the fall of 1963, and during their final semester, Louise gave birth to their first daughter, Christy Lynn, on January 9, 1965. She still managed to complete her degree in elementary education and graduated on time with Charles. The following year, the family of three moved to Austin, where Charles began law school and Louise developed her lifelong passion for Longhorn football and athletics. It was in Austin that their second daughter, Courtney Leigh, was born on June 9, 1967.

Their third daughter, Cydney Louise, was born on June 19, 1970, after the family had moved to Houston. Louise poured herself into her daughters’ lives with boundless energy and heart—leading Girl Scouts for Courtney and Cydney, volunteering at all their schools, proudly driving Christy to tennis tournaments across the country, and serving in the Junior League of Houston. She also volunteered many years at Covenant House.

Louise was always moving. She ran the New York and Houston marathons and trained with a group of neighborhood friends. She carried her passion for tennis and golf into her adult life, where she built lifelong friendships on the court and course. Some of her favorite memories were made in Steamboat, Colorado with her beloved "Yayas" and summers spent in Laguna Beach with her family and friends.

Louise—known as Woo Woo to her grandchildren—was an exceptional and proud grandmother. Some of her happiest moments were spent at graduations, sporting events, birthdays, grandparents’ days, college visits, and any celebration of her ten grandchildren. She had an individual and unique relationship with each one, and they absolutely adored her. Known as “golfqueen7” on Instagram, she had a legendary following among her grandchildren and their friends. Her stories and posts brought endless joy and laughter—especially the ones she didn’t realize she was posting.

She also passed down her deep love of reading to all of her grandchildren. It was one of her favorite pastimes, and something she loved to share. Her grandkids had countless nicknames for her: Wootie, Wooten, Looney, Wooster, Weezie, Lou Lou—but most of all, she was their Butterfly Queen. She once referred to herself as “the queen of the family,” and she couldn’t have been more right.

Louise adored her miniature schnauzers and the many adopted cats given to her by Christy and Cydney. Her home was a sanctuary—a gathering place where everyone felt welcome. Her daughters’ friends were known to stop by just to hang out with Louise. She made people feel seen, heard, and cared for.

Louise was preceded in death by her husband of nearly 60 years, Charles; her parents, Thomas and Mildred Wingate; her stepfather Chester Park; and her grandson, Matthew Galtney.

She is survived by her daughters: Christy Galtney and her husband Matt, Courtney McCabe and her husband Chris, and Cydney Padon and her husband Matthew; her grandchildren: Alexandra and Charles Galtney; CJ, Emma, Audrey, and Aidan McCabe; Elizabeth, Catherine Padon Duncan and her husband Cameron, and Maggie Padon. She is also survived by her brother Tommy Wingate, her stepbrother Ross Park, and her brothers-in-law Woody Berry and his wife Jan, and Harold Berry. She also leaves behind a beloved niece and nephew, Kennedy and Christopher Berry.

The family is eternally grateful for the love and care provided by the Galway House. Special thanks to the wonderful women who cared for her with such grace and unconditional love—Jasmine, Neri, and Mila.

Louise was truly one of a kind. She filled her days—and the lives of everyone around her—with love, laughter, elegance, and heart. She was the queen of our family and the light of our lives. We will carry her legacy with us forever.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Houston SPCA in honor of Louise's love for animals.

A Celebration of Life will be held on October 4, 2025. Please reach out to the family for details.