Bill Berry, 80, went to be home with the Lord Tuesday, Feb. 8. He was born at home in Jack County on June 22, 1941 to Louise Dunlap Berry and Roy William (Bill) Berry. He lived the first five years of his life on the Brazos River with his grandparents while his father served in World War II. He went to school in Jacksboro, graduating from JHS in 1959. On a rodeo scholarship, he attended Sul Ross and Hardin Simmons from which he graduated with an Agriculture Business degree.

He worked on a ranch and two feedlots until 1970 when he married Judy Mitchell. He held a variety of jobs until he and Judy started the Berry Dairy in Jack County, south of Bryson. They sold the dairy and moved to Jacksboro in 1989, where he began his career in the criminal justice system, going from Correctional Officer to Assistant Warden. He retired and started writing books, sharing his passion and expertise of storytelling. He published six books and was working on his seventh book in the McKeeg Saga.

He was a writer, retired cowboy, retired dairy farmer, husband, father and grandfather. He loved Texas History and thought spinning a yarn was a great way to pass the time. He was a seventh-generation Texan, a friend to many and was always willing to step up and help others and pass on as much knowledge as he could to all who would listen.

He was preceded in death by his mother and father; and his sister, Rebecca (Becky).

He is survived by his wife, Judy; son, Shane Campbell and wife Anne, of Panama City, FL; daughter, Stacey Russell of Burkburnett; daughter, Erin McGill and husband Shelton, of Leonard, Texas; grandchildren, Kirstyn, Hatch, Haleigh, Hunter, Hannah, and Rylee; great-grandson, Paxton; and numerous nieces and nephews.

A memorial service was held at 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 12, at the First United Methodist Church in Jacksboro.

In lieu of flowers, please send donations to: In Memory of Bill Berry, St. Jude Children’s Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place Memphis, TN 38105, donors@St.Jude.org, www.stjude.org/donate.