Mary Berry, (née Grady) beloved wife of Tom, long time Winterset resident, and life-long teacher, passed away suddenly on Saturday, June 2, 2018, following a short heart-related illness. She is dearly missed by her husband, sons Steven and Tom (Meg), and grandchildren Kate and Thomas. She is survived by her siblings Michael (Mary) Grady, Margaret (Fred) Ritchie, Nora Ladewig, Timothy (Kathleen Granger) Grady, Nan (Scott) Kiel, Robert (Mara Reilly) and Sheila Grady.
Mary was born March 9, 1943. She received her Bachelor of Arts from the University of Nebraska and continued graduate studies and other forms of education throughout her career. From the beginning of her career as a young teacher in Bloom Township in Chicago Heights to her retirement from Lincoln High School, Mary left her mark on her students and her co-workers. Along the way she accumulated many accolades, including her much-cherished Crystal Apple Teachers’ Award awarded by the Wichita School District for excellence in teaching.
In her 20 plus years as an English teacher at Lincoln High School in Des Moines, Mary inspired thousands of students and dozens of colleagues. Certainly, Mary was known and respected for mastery of her subject matter, her optimistic spirit and her ever-present sense of humor, but what really set Mary apart was her unfailing commitment to her students. A colleague observed that when walking past her room, one would hear her engaged in reading and conversational discussions with students. And the laughter. . . there was always laughter.
Mary loved to laugh and to learn and she will be missed by her friends and family. A celebration of her life will be held 11 a.m. Thursday, June 7, 2018 with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. at St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church in West Des Moines, IA.
Memorial contributions may be directed to the Iowa Heart Center Foundation or the Adult Education and Literacy Program at DMACC.
