John Berry, 88, passed away after a brief illness on December 21, 2018 in Santa Barbara, California. John was born in Liverpool, England on April 19, 1930. He served in the Royal Air Force and married Kathleen Chee on April 11, 1953. John emigrated from England to Southern California in 1957 and began his career as a rocket scientist. He brought his love of football (soccer) with him, and played weekly, well into his 60’s and never gave up on his Everton Football Club.
John is survived by two sisters, four children and thirteen grandchildren. His children Paul, Gaynor, Colin, and Gillian have many memories of funny family trips and stories from riding on his motorbike to fishing off the pier in Santa Cruz and always building something that didn’t “quite fit where it was supposed to fit.” His grandchildren were the most precious of gifts. One of his most valuable possessions was a cross stitch that had all of their names and birthdates listed. He was known for his wit, and his compassion and will be missed by all who knew him.
He will be buried in Liverpool, England where he will be reunited with Kathleen and their infant son Stephen.
A Celebration of Life Mass will be held at Mission Santa Barbara on Saturday January 19, 2019. The family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to St Vincent’s in Santa Barbara www.stvincents-Sb.org or a charity of your choice.
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