Mrs. Charlene Flowers Berry, of Houston, Texas, passed away on Friday, the 9th of March 2018, at the Methodist Hospital. She was 81 years of age.
Charlene was born at home on the 8th of May 1936, in Neboville, Tennessee, a farming community in west Tennessee. She was raised an only child, as her older sister passed as a baby, by Paul and Evelyn Flowers. Her church home was the Yorkville Methodist Church where she and her parents were very active. She also loved to roller skate and play basketball. As a young woman in Memphis she bowled on a woman’s team and they won a few championships, with Coca-Cola as their sponsor.
An amazing woman with a super life force for all she encountered, young and old, she had the ability to provide strength, challenge, honesty, kindness and genuine concern. Charlene could meet someone while on a simple shopping trip and change the perspective they had on their life and the way they were living it.
Once a teacher, always a teacher. Charlene retired from teaching after 30 years of dedicated service. Her first teaching experience was heart-felt. She secured a position in west Tennessee in the small community of Ripley, near the Mississippi River. So touched by those children, she spoke of them often, they never left her heart. She soon went on to Memphis, where she began teaching special needs at Gregg Middle School. Again she was so affected by the children, she kept them in her heart always. Soon she married and picked up and relocated to San Antonio, Texas, where she taught for a few years. Finding new and exciting teaching opportunities, Charlene secured a teaching position in Irving, Texas. Beginning her career in Irving she taught elementary classes at Sally B. Elliot. As a new middle school was opening, another opportunity came her way in IISD at Stephen F. Austin. As she pursued that, American history became her new focus. Charlene soon discovered a new talent as a cheerleader sponsor and fell in love with each and every young woman on the squads. Upon reaching a 30-year milestone of teaching it was time to and tend to her parents needs back in Tennessee. So the relocation back to Tennessee began. At which time she embarked on a 13-year journey of compassionate care with her husband for her parents. Also, she joined the Retired Teachers Association of Texas.
She was an avid baseball fan, attending Texas Rangers baseball games as a season ticket holder for eight years. Charlene loved the game so much that Spring Training in Arizona and Florida became favorite vacation destinations. As for summers, they were spent tracking around the USA to all the American, National and Southern League parks, and most of the Midwest League ballparks. Some opportunities arose to attend golf tournament benefits involving the baseball teams and special occasion baseball banquets meeting Mr. Joe DiMaggio and Mr. Tommy Lasorda.
Charlene is survived by her loving husband, Frank L. Berry of Houston, Texas; her daughter, Suzanne D. Jones and her husband Robert, of Houston; her stepson, Frank Berry and his wife Pamela of Baltimore, Maryland; stepdaughter, Belinda Ann Berry of San Francisco, California; and her three grandchildren, Robert C. Jones, Kendel N. Jones, and Jonathan Berry.
On Sunday, the 18th of March, family and friends gathered to share remembrances of Charlene during a visitation and funeral service in the parlor of Geo. H. Lewis & Sons in Houston.
Interment is to be conducted at eleven o’clock in the morning on Tuesday, the 27th of March, at Yorkville Cemetery in Yorkville, Tennessee.
Although flowers are welcome and encouraged, memorial contributions in Charlene’s name may be directed to St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105, Source Code:IIQ170788777; or to Shriners Hospital for Children, Office of Development, 2900 Rocky Point Dr., Tampa, FL 33607.
She will be greatly missed by those who love her and those whose life she touched.
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