Rosa May Berry

Rosa grew up and lived in Missouri until her early adulthood years. Her husband-to-be, Vernie Berry, also from that area, asked her to marry him and it was there they began their 50 years together, lovingly caring and providing for their family. As an Air Force military family, they lived in Maryland, North Carolina and California.

Rosa became a resident of Merced County in 1959, spending all except the last three years in Atwater. She taught elementary school for a total of 24 years, beginning her teaching path after her first year of college in Missouri, when the local school board of a one-room school confidently asked her to take on the challenge. She went on to get her Bachelor’s degree and teaching credential and spent many years teaching first grade at Atwater’s Bellevue Elementary School until she retired in 1981. Rosa was an active member of the New Life Community Church of Atwater. Some of her hobbies included shopping, crafting, sewing, cake decorating, line dancing and testing her luck at bingo.

What was most important to Rosa was her family. As a devoted wife, mother, grandmother and great- grandmother, she loved spending time with all of them playing games, soaking in their laughter and sharing in their joy. In her autobiography she wrote, “With each baby, I felt I had heaven on Earth” and “I have always felt love in my life.” She was admired and loved profoundly by her family and that love continues. She and her family have been truly blessed to have had each other.

Rosa is preceded in death by her parents, Mary May and George Herbert Hadlock; husband, Vernie Berry; brothers, Herbert and John Hadlock; sisters, Mabel Misemer and Bonnie Hadlock.

She is survived by her 6 children and their spouses, Vern and Minka Berry, Rosa Lee and Randy Maple, Brian and Jeanne Berry, Kent and Esther Berry, Cheryl Berry, Kyle and Liz Berry, 10 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, along with nieces and nephews of her siblings, Mabel and Herbert.

The family would like to give special thanks to the managers, staff and residents at The Hampshire for their care and friendships over the last 3 years.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Shriners Hospital for Children, located at 2425 Stockton Blvd., Sacramento, California 95817, or to the charity of your choice.

A funeral service will take place on Saturday, May 21, 2016, at 10:00 a.m. at New Life Community Church, located at 2124 First Street, Atwater, California 95301. Interment will follow immediately at the Winton District Cemetery, with a reception to follow at New Life Community Church.