Lolly Giotha Berry

Lolly Giotha Berry was born April 11, 1932 and raised in Millboro, Virginia to the late Henrietta Williams Clark and Thurman Jones. Lolly who loved family, arts, music, being outdoors, and gardening, earned her spiritual wings on Friday, January 6, 2023. She was 90 years old and was able to celebrate her birthday with close friends and family in April 2022. At a young age, she attended Siloam Baptist Church in Millboro and there found the Lord. She later became a long-time member of Unity Church in Washington, D.C.

Lolly attended and graduated from Watson High School located in Covington, Virginia, in 1953. Lolly moved from Millboro to Washington, D. C. in 1953 for educational and job opportunities not available in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. She moved in with her cousin, Mildred Taylor, who had moved to Washington a few years earlier. In Washington, Lolly met Richard P. Berry, Sr. and they married in 1955. They had two sons, Richard P. Berry, Jr. and Steven D. Berry. Lolly enjoyed and valued education, as she attended and graduated from Minor Teacher’s College. She began her career with the Washington, D.C. School Board, transitioned to the Health, Education and Welfare, and retired in 1984 from the D.C. Social Services Department as a social worker.

Although she moved from the country to the city, she never forgot the country, so she purchased land in the mountains near Luray, Virginia and built a country cabin with her sons. She and her sons spent many long and short weekends going to the cabin to explore and hike the surrounding areas.

In her spare time and after retirement, Lolly continued to beautify her world through art and creative pursuits. She expressed her creativity through painting, making dolls, and hats, and through making stylish clothing— just to name a few. Lolly loved entertaining and having friends and family over to enjoy her delectable cuisine. She was also a master gardener and had a beautiful floral garden in her backyard. She even collected antiques.

Amongst other things, Lolly enjoyed reading the Washington Post daily and playing Sudoku on her iPad. Lolly was a master Chinese checkers champion; she enjoyed playing regularly with her family and won against her granddaughters 95% of the time.

Lolly leaves to cherish her memories, two sons Richard (Linette) and Steven Berry; three granddaughters, Tiffani Thompson (Elen), Brittani Berry, and Courtni Banaci (Othello); two sisters, Jenny Minor (Pat, Debbie, Tina, Elvert, and Annie), Alice Williams Jones (George and Stephanie), her close cousin Mildred Taylor who was more like a sister; niece Jennifer Taylor, and Doris Hayes (Robert, deceased), and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. She also leaves to cherish her memory, her beloved pet dog, Khoala Lupita.

Lolly was preceded in death by her husband (Richard P. Berry, Sr.), her mother, Henrietta Williams Clark, father, Thurman Jones, brothers, Noah Williams, Sr. and Henry Clark, Jr, and her beloved Virginia “Mother” Turner.