David Berry

Dave Berry was one of a kind.  Everybody says it.  Widely known to be a curmudgeon, his friends saw right through the façade.  Always there to help a friend, he asked nothing and would take nothing in return.  A jack of all trades, he was also a talented musician who played dulcimer, dobro and lap steel.  He would tell you he couldn’t sing, but nobody believed that either.

Born in Dover, NJ, he was proud of being from NORTH Jersey, not the other section of NJ.   He lived there until he joined the Air Force, where he served 7 years, 6 months and 22 days (he was fond of telling everyone)  He worked in communications and met his first wife, Donna, at his duty station in Bedford, VA.  Stationed mostly in Ramstein, Germany he traveled all over Europe and beyond installing communications equipment.  After leaving service he returned to Bedford, VA and lived there raising their three children.  Jimmy, Michael and Angie.  He worked for Ma Bell for over 25 years.  He was an active Scout leader and participated in POW WOWs and was an excellent at beadwork and finger weaving, an homage to his Seneca tribe roots.

After 25 years of marriage he and Donna divorced and he married Diane who had one son, Lee, who was the same age as Angela.  They eventually moved to the Northern Neck of Virginia where they lived on the water and learned to sail.  They took two year long trips to the Bahamas and back.   This is also where he started learning to play the dulcimer and dobro.  After 17 years in the NN, the cold got the better of him and they moved to Florida where they immersed themselves in the music community and started a band, Just Folks.   They also bought an RV and traveled out west and then to Maine, exploring the countryside.

Health problems caught up with him and he died on May 11th , 2024 at the age of 80.   He was loved by the children and their partners Jimmy(Marie), Michael(Lucia), Angela(Bryan) and Lee;  beloved by his grandchildren and great grandchildren (Amanda, Kyle (Grady and Jaycee) Austin, Asheley (Brodey and Carsen), Jorden, Harlee and Trey, Scott, Stella, Matias, Colby and Emily); and adored by his wife, Diane.  He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.