Michael Richard Berry

Michael Richard Berry of Austin, Texas, beloved husband, father and grandfather, passed away on August 13, 2026. He was born in Hagerstown, MD, June 2nd, 1944, just one day after his father was inducted into the U.S. Navy during WWII and four days before D-Day. The second of four children of Charles and Marie Conner Berry, he was raised near Boonsboro, MD. He is survived by his wife Kathy Everline Berry; son Scott, his wife Estella and daughter Blanca; son Mark and his daughters Madeleine and Allison; sister Carolyn Berry Clipp; brother-in-law John Everline and wife Irene; sister-in-law Penny Friddle and husband Charlie; brother-in-law Dave Hankinson; and several nieces and nephews. Mike’s parents, his sister Donna Berry Hankinson and his brother Stephen Berry preceded him in death.

Mike attended schools in Boonsboro, MD from first through 12th grade. Growing up in rural south Washington County, his favorite pass times were fishing and swimming at Antietam Creek with his brother, Steve and their friends; riding bikes, hunting rabbits, archery and later, participating in the school band and the high school track team. Mike and Steve spent many summers in their youth working for local farmers.

After graduating high school in 1962, he attended Hagerstown Junior College and later Frostburg State College. He began working at the Pangborn Corporation in Hagerstown in 1963 and continued working there in various capacities for 25 years, finally as a regional sales manager in Texas. In 1965, Mike married Kathy Everline of Boonsboro, and they made their home in Hagerstown. There they welcomed two sons, Scott Richard and Mark Alan, then moved to a newly built house nearby in 1973. Mike’s carpentry skills were put to good use in that endeavor. They were active in St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, Lappans, where Mike served a term on the vestry. There he and Kathy were youth group leaders, and their children were baptized and later confirmed.

In 1981 Mike’s sales job with Pangborn took him to Oklahoma City and then Arlington, Texas where the family resided until 1987. With their sons in college by then, Mike took a job with the Blastec Co. and he and Kathy moved to Corpus Christi, TX. There he enjoyed easy access to saltwater fishing, which he did nearly every weekend. The Berry home became a popular Spring Break destination for their sons and their friends where Mike could be counted on to feed them with large pots of steamed blue crabs and his fresh catch of the day. In later years, he enjoyed making his special seafood ceviche when children and grandchildren or special friends were guests.

In 1991 the couple moved to Austin, TX where he and Kathy made their last home together. While much of Mike’s sales career required considerable travel, he found time to cultivate an annual vegetable garden, engage in many DIY projects at home, restore and build furniture, create many wooden decorative items and help his sons in Cub Scout Pinewood Derby competitions. In addition to fishing, he loved playing and watching golf; the high point of his golf story was to par the signature 18th hole at the old course in St. Andrews, Scotland. Mike was an avid investor and spent much of his retirement time researching companies and following the stock market, so that his family would be well taken care of after his passing.

Mike served on his HOA’s board of directors and actively participated as a member of St. Christopher’s Episcopal church. There he served a three-year term on the vestry, two of those years as Senior Warden. He also served as an usher and sang in the church choir.

During the late 1990’s and early 2000’s the couple welcomed daughters-in-law and later, three granddaughters into the family. As empty nesters, Mike and Kathy traveled to the UK, Italy and many destinations in the USA. Every summer they visited extended family and hosted visits from them.

Following several happy years in retirement, in 2018 Mike broke his femur, and while that was being treated doctors discovered he also had lung cancer. Then began several years of multiple treatments under the care of Texas Oncology and MD Anderson. During that time he was still able to enjoy his granddaughters’ school concerts, stage performances, and high school and college graduations, plus many holiday celebrations with family, nearby and far away.

In early 2026, with no more feasible treatment options available, Mike chose to accept the inevitable, allowing him to feel as well as possible for his remaining time. He spent his last weeks at home under the care of Hospice Austin, with visits from family, friends and the Rev. Alyssa Stebbing and the Rev. Vicki Knipp. His final days were spent at Hospice Austin’s Christopher House.

The family extends their sincere gratitude to the doctors and nurses of Hospice Austin, Christopher House, Texas Oncology, MD Anderson Medical Center, and Texas Heart and Vascular for their professional and compassionate care during Mike’s illness. They offer heartfelt thanks to their extended family, and to good friends at St. Christopher’s and in their neighborhood for their help, support and prayers throughout the eight years of Mike’s illness.

A memorial service will be held at St. Christopher’s Episcopal Church, 8724 Travis Hills Drive, Austin, Tx 78735 on Saturday, September 5th at 11:00 a.m.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be given to the following organizations in Mike’s memory:

HOSPICE AUSTIN AND CHRISTOPHER HOUSE

Online: https://www.hospiceaustin.org/get-involved/donate/donation-form/

Donations may also be mailed to:

Hospice Austin

4107 Spicewood Springs Road

Austin, TX 78759

UT MD ANDERSON MEDICAL CENTER

Online: https://gifts.mdanderson.org/

SAINT CHRISTOPHER’S EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Online: https://stchrisatx.org/give/

Donations may also be mailed to: Saint Christopher’s Episcopal Church 8724 Travis Hills Drive Austin, TX 78735