Charles Troy Berry
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September 22, 1935-Feburary 29, 2020
Charles Troy Berry was born in Stuttgart, Arkansas to L.R. Berry, Sr. and Helen Watkins Berry along with his "womb-mate" and identical twin L.R. "Bennie" Berry, Jr. Charles was a successful student and athlete serving as Stuttgart high school Student body president and named as a high school football All-American. After receiving several offers to play football he and Bennie elected to play in their home state for the University of Arkansas.
While at Arkansas, he was a member of the 1954 Southwest conference championship team affectionately known as the "25 Little Pigs". He was also a member of Sigma Chi fraternity and Army ROTC. He graduated with a degree in Agriculture in the Summer of 1958 and reported to his military service. While serving his country, he learned to pilot both fixed-wing airplanes and helicopters and continued to practice his love of flying until late in life.
In 1961 he married the love of his life, Jimmie Files of Cotton Plant, Arkansas, and six months later they purchased a raw piece of land in the Mississippi Delta of Tunica County and began to clear the land and farm. His goal was "to make enough money to move back to Arkansas". To his surprise, he and Jimmie found a home in the rural Mississippi Delta and ultimately chose to stay and raise their family.
He was a member of Tunica Presbyterian Church for 55 years where he served as the superintendent of the Sunday School for approximately forty years. He also served as a Deacon and an Elder.
His farming accomplishments were many including being named Delta Council Rice Farmer of the Year, Conservation Farmer of the Year, and had his transformed piece of land named the Delta Grow Model Farm.
Charles served on the state board of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes for approximately three decades. The one thing he enjoyed more than farming was duck hunting on the land he farmed. He loved taking friends and especially his family hunting with him. He mostly enjoyed the fellowship that these outings brought.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his twin brother, and his son, Lee Hunter Berry. We rejoice in the reunion he is experiencing with these family members. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Jimmie Berry, his daughter, Betsy Berry McRoberts and husband Claude of Montgomery, Alabama; his son Dr. Mont Berry and wife Sara of Tupelo, Mississippi, and his son Curtis Berry and wife Lori of Tunica, Mississippi. He is also survived by 14 grandchildren, Claude McRoberts IV, Nan Neely McRoberts, Abbey McRoberts Miller (Scott), Katie Berry Thompson (Owen), Ellie Berry Carter (Drew), Joseph Berry, Troy Berry (Rorie), Joshua Berry, Sally Berry, Charlie Berry, Caroline Berry, Emma Berry, Curt Berry, and Mary Sue Berry.
Pall Bearers are Charles' grandsons and grandsons-in-law. Services will be on Tuesday, March 3, 2020 at Tunica Presbyterian in Tunica, Mississippi. Visitation will be at the church from 1pm until 3pm, with service following in the sanctuary. A private, family burial will take place at a later time. Memorial Funeral Home in Tunica, Mississippi is handling the arrangements. Memorials may be sent to Tunica Presbyterian, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and Juvenile Diabetes Association.