Obituary

Dorothy Fletcher Berry went to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on July 15, 2021. She was born in 1925 in Springfield, Massachusetts and graduated from West Springfield High School. During WWII, she left her studies at Springfield College to join the newly formed Cadet Nurse Corps which trained nurses to meet wartime needs. She spoke in local high schools to recruit more nurses for the organization and graduated as an RN from Springfield Hospital which later became Baystate Medical Center.

She married Joseph C. Berry in 1948. Throughout their 62 years of marriage, they volunteered in the Scouts, at local food banks, delivered food for Meals on Wheels and distributed Gideon Bibles to hotels, colleges, prisons, and hospitals. They served in many capacities in church and in town governance. Dotty continued to use her nursing skills as a camp nurse, school nurse, hospital nurse and volunteered with hospice and the Red Cross. For many years and summers, she was the nurse and director of an environmental education center and day camp outside of Boston which brought together urban and suburban children in a woodland setting.

Dotty and Joe retired on Cape Cod, MA where they were active in the Bible Alliance Church and involved in environmental issues such as rescuing stranded whales and sea turtles. They also attended lifetime learning classes and continued to spread the good news of Jesus’s love. When her husband needed care, they moved to Cordata Court in Bellingham, WA where she enjoyed being an active part of community life. Dotty and Joe’s favorite verse was Proverbs 3:5-6: “Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.”

She leaves behind 3 children: Dr. Donald Berry and his wife Karen, Alan Berry and his wife, Sarah, and Carol Berry, and her husband Dean Roeper. She is also survived by 5 grandchildren and 4 great-grandchildren.

Dotty will be remembered for her warmth, deep care of others, and a sense of humor that held a note of mischief and fun and put a twinkle in her eye. At age 95 she was still vibrant, beautiful, and sharp witted with a smile that lit up the room. She was an avid reader, always interested in learning and invested in the world around her. She took the time to listen to everyone but especially her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, showing an interest in whatever interested them – from medicine, music, math, and art to business, basketball, law, and dinosaurs. She loved much and was much loved. She will be sorely missed.

In lieu of flowers, consider donating to Gideons International, Christ the Servant Lutheran Church in Bellingham or the Bellingham Public Library Outreach.