Willie James Berry

Willie James Berry, 78, was born November 19, 1947, to Herbert Berry Sr. and Jessie Bell Teague-Berry in Troy Alabama. He committed his life to Christ at a young age while attending Springfield Baptist Church in Ansley Alabama. He relocated to Elyria, Ohio in 1968 as his brothers Herbert Jr. and Robert. On the afternoon of February 5th, 2026, at 1:06pm, Willie James Berry peacefully passed away in his home with his wife Barbara by his side.

Willie attended both Ansley and Shellhorn Schools in Alabama. While in high school, he joined Job Corp in Gadsden, Alabama where he learned various trade skills including tooling, assembly and painting. His skills learned later served him well while working in Elyria at General Motors Corporation briefly and then at the Ridge Tool Company where he worked on the paint line. Willie retired from Ridge Tool Company in 2009 with forty years of service.

Willie enjoyed life and was known to be particular about things important to him. He loved keeping his cars ‘spotless” especially his orange 1969 Dodge Super Bee Charger, his 1976 lime green Buick Electric 225 two door coup with the “gangster white walls” and his brown Dodge Ram van with rust orange interior and many other cars. He enjoyed interacting with others on his CB Radio and was known by the CB Handle “Super Bee”. He was also particular about his clothing, taking pride in his appearance and was well coordinated when he stepped out for the evening or on weekends. During the spring, summer and fall he could be found in his backyard planting and working his garden of vegetables, out on Lake Erie in his boat fishing with his buddies, or in his “man cave shed’ in the backyard. Willie was also willing to help others in need and made certain to weekly assist several neighbors by mowing their grass with the same attention to detail as he mowed his own lawn.

Willie enjoyed time with family and in a heartbeat, would hit the road traveling by car or van on a Friday night for a weekend trip home to Troy Alabama. He drove to every Ransom-Shepherd family reunion no matter the distance and once drove the brown van on a cross-country trip to California to a reunion. He was in attendance at the 2025 family reunion in Montgomery, Alabama.

Willie while working at Ridge Tool during the third shift, began to park his car in the same space and/or near by the car of Barbara Johnson. Their countless morning passings of flirtations in the parking lot lead to an ASK for a date and many others thereafter. On June 21st, 1980, Willie and Barbara were married at Unity Missionary Baptist Church which led to forty-five and one half (45.5) years of marriage. To this union their son Warren Berry was born. Both Barbara and Willie brought to this marriage her daughter Yolanda and his daughters Bridget and God-daughter Felicia.

Willie leaves to cherish his memory, wife Barbara Johnson-Berry of forty-five and one half (45.5) years; daughter Bridget Hendricks (Willie) Baldwin, son Warren (Renee) Berry, and daughters Yolanda Johnson (Jimmy) McClain and God-daughter Felicia Hendricks (Krammer) Penn; his brother Jimmy Berry and sisters Mary Glen Berry (James) Byrd, Linda Berry and Jessie Helen Berry (Robert) Gamble; his grandchildren Maurice Baldwin, Marquis Baldwin, T’Nariya Berry, T’Niya “NiNi” Berry, Jordan Brown, T’Laja Berry, Torren Berry, Frenisha Hendricks and Diamond Hendricks; great grandchildren Akeria Sparks, Cayden Anthony and Za’Nyah Berry and host of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and extended family members and friends.

Willie was preceded in death by his paternal grandparents William and Bertha Mae Gordon-Berry and maternal grandmother Minnie Pearl Teague, his father Herbert Berry Sr and mother Jessie Bell Teague-Berry; and his brothers Herbert Berry Jr. Robert Berry and Jessie Otis Berry.

Visitation will be held Monday February 23, 2026, from 10am until the time of service at 11am at the Elyria Seventh-day Adventist Church, 9652 Murray Ridge Rd., Elyria, Ohio 44035. Pastor Marius Marton will officiate. Burial will be in Brookdale Cemetery, Elyria.