Clara Berry

Clara Berry was a wonderful woman, a woman of such great beauty inside and out. She devoted her life to caring for her family, to teaching them, nurturing them, and most of all loving them. Clara was blessed with much in her lifetime, but not as blessed as we were to have known her. Clara's story began on a beautiful spring day in 1934, in the most cosmopolitan city in the world, New York, New York. Those were such difficult times for so many in this country, as the quagmire of the Great Depression tightened its grip around Americans everywhere. Yet even in those dark days, the young couple of James and Hilda (Kraucek) Beekman found a glimmer of hope as the leaves returned to the trees. On May 21, 1934, a warm, sunny Monday in Manhattan, the Beekmans celebrated the birth of a beautiful baby girl, a daughter they named Clara. Clara was joined by two sisters, Betty and Yvonne, in the Beekman home in Manhattan, where her Irish-immigrant father worked very hard as a carpenter, and her loving mother took care of the family home. The family was exceptionally close, and Clara was especially close to her mother and sisters. As a young girl Clara loved to go roller skating with her sisters, fearlessly skating up and down Manhattan's busy streets. In 1951, Clara graduated from high school in Manhattan. That same year, she met a handsome young sailor named Jessie Berry, who fell immediately in love with the beautiful young Clara. Two people finding each other in a city of millions is always astonishing, yet it didn't take Jessie long to realize Clara was the only one for him! He loved everything about her, and quickly realized Clara's beauty was much more than skin deep. When Jessie was discharged from the Navy, he wasted little time proposing to Clara, and the happy couple was married on December 10, 1951 in Manhattan, a day Jessie says was the greatest day of his life. The newlyweds packed up and moved from the city to the charming beachfront town of Grand Haven, Michigan, to be near his family, and where he found a terrific job to provide for his own growing family. Clara had a difficult time adapting to the small Midwestern town. When Jessie took her for a ride downtown, she asked if they were in the city yet, and he replied, "You're in the middle of it." She was speechless. She found a job as a painter at Grand Haven Plastics where she worked for the next 10 years while she cared for her family. Clara and Jessie were blessed with four wonderful children over the years, daughter Kim, and sons Gary, Danny and Jackie. She and her husband were strict but loving parents, who taught their children the importance of a good education, and instilled in them strong work ethics. No matter how busy their days, the family always sat down for dinner together. Clara raised their daughter, while Jessie handled the Berry boys. Gary remembers asking his mom for a BB gun once when he was 10 years old, and when mom said no, he went and asked dad! He got the BB gun. The family did much together, from memorable trips to the zoo, to many enjoyable backyard barbecues and parties with the neighbors over the years, in that tight-knit community they called home. Clara also enjoyed the family dogs, with a beloved collie named Lassie, and Peanut, a dog that was Chihuahua and Feist. Clara, being the friendly, vivacious woman she was, made friends wherever she went. She loved to shop and gamble with two of her closest friends, Pat Canning and her neighbor, Faye. Her family was always the most important part of Clara's life, though. She loved being a homemaker, and caring for her family. When her grandchildren arrived, Clara adored them all, and loved to dote on them. Her daughter Kim remembers fondly the many Easter gatherings with the grandkids, where Clara would make a delicious dinner, and dad would host Easter egg hunts for the kids. Clara suffered a heart attack in 1990, which slowed her down a bit. After her heart attack, her son Jackie made it a tradition to spend his lunchtime with his parents every day, and formed a wonderfully special relationship with his mother - and never left hungry, either. Danny remembers every time he'd visit his mother, she'd send him home with some delicious baked goods she made just for him. That's just the way Clara was, though. Always so thoughtful, generous and loving to those around her. Sadly, Clara died Sunday, October 22, 2006. Clara was a wonderful woman, a woman as beautiful on the inside as she was on the outside, and a woman blessed with many gifts in her lifetime. To all those who knew her, Clara was the greatest gift of all. She will be greatly missed. SURVIVORS: husband, Jessie L.; 3 sons, Gary Berry of Grand Haven, Danny Berry of Holland & Jackie "Jack" (Cheryl) Berry of Norton Shores; 1 daughter, Kimberly Moore of Muskegon; 8 grandchildren; 3 great grandchildren; several nieces & nephews; special friend, Pat Canning & neighbor Faye. She was preceded in death by her parents, 1 grandson, Danny Berry Jr. & 2 sisters, Betty Seitz & Yvonne Grunow. SERVICE: Thursday, October 26, 2006, 11:00 AM, at the Clock Chapel with Rev. Julie Armour officiating. VISITATION: Wednesday, 6-8 PM at Clock Life Story Funeral Home - Grand Haven. MEMORIAL: American Heart Association. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to leave a memory or sign the online guest book.