Lydia S Berry

Lydia Sarah Berry, age 92, of Phoenix, Arizona, passed away peacefully on September 3, 2026. She was born on May 4, 1934, to the late Elmer Leroy Berry Sr. and Marjorie Hermina Maertens. She was the cherished sister of Elmer Leroy Berry.

A woman of deep faith, loyalty, and quiet strength, Lydia lived a life centered on her devotion to Jesus Christ and her family. Her faith guided her daily—beginning every meal with prayer, finding joy in the sacrament and General Conference, and dedicating countless hours to genealogy research and temple work. She took great pride in her family’s pioneer heritage and her mother’s five-generational Hawaiian roots, surrounding herself with the spirit of aloha through music, flowers, leis, and Hawaiian culture.

After moving from her childhood home as a young woman, Lydia lived in the same Phoenix residence for more than seventy years before moving to a care facility in 2025. She spent most of her career with the State of Arizona, beginning as a file clerk and rising through the ranks thanks to her exceptional memory and meticulous attention to detail. She became highly skilled in records management and applied that same care to her family’s banking and personal records, as well as those of the wards and stakes she attended. Her ability to track family connections was legendary; she regularly searched phone directories for relatives, maintained detailed records, and kept extended family linked across generations.

Lydia was a tireless caregiver. Alongside her brother Leroy, she devotedly cared for their aging parents and stepfather. When Leroy later developed kidney disease, she continued driving him to dialysis three times a week well into her eighties, ensuring he was always treated with love and dignity.

She was the heartbeat of her extended family, never missing a birthday without a personal phone call and a spirited duet of “Happy Birthday” with her brother. An early adopter of technology, she embraced computers in the 1980s and later used Facebook to stay connected with relatives and friends. She preserved every card, photo, and kindness she received. Lydia never met a stranger.

She found joy in life’s simple pleasures—horses, Hawaiian music and culture, travel with her family in their camper, ballroom dancing at Arthur Murray, and favorite treats such as a Taco Bell steak chalupa with guacamole, Oreos, chocolate pudding, root beer, and Dairy Queen Blizzards. She kept clocks in her home set to multiple time zones and collected small horse figurines in her later years.

Lydia is survived by hundreds of cousins and many friends who will always remember her warmth, faith, and enduring connections.

A funeral service will be held 9:30 am on Thursday, September 17, 2026, at Greenwood Memory Lawn Mortuary, 719 N. 27th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009 followed by burial at 10:30 am in Greenwood Memory Lawn Cemetery.

A Committal Service will be held at Greenwood Memory Lawn Mortuary & Cemetery, 2300 W Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85009, US, on September 17, 2026, from 10:30 am to 11:30 am.