Bucksport
Thomas Willis Berry died Jan. 12, 2022, after a lifelong struggle with time.
He was born on the kitchen table in Clinton on Jan. 30, 1941, to Lois (Dumont) Berry Epstein and Hayden Russell Berry.
He spent his early years in Livermore Falls and later attended high school in Bucksport in the Class of 1960, where he found much success in athletics and met the future Mrs. Berry: Patricia Fellows.
After some time at UMaine-Farmington, Tom joined the U.S. Army, serving first at the Military Processing Station in Albany, N.Y., then at Bien Hoa Airfield, Vietnam. After a year overseas, the Army, in its wisdom, sent him to Fort Benjamin Harrison in Indianapolis, Ind., to learn the job he’d just done for a year in Vietnam! Not interested in more time in Southeast Asia, he left the Army and brought his family, now with a UMaine graduate and two young boys, back home to Bucksport, where his desire to have another baby he could know the entire time came to fruition and his baby girl was born. Knowing that she would be expensive, he took a job at St. Regis Paper, where he would spend more than 30 years upsetting people who waited too long to have him schedule their vacations! He was a marvelous gardener, loved the sea, reading and anything to do with his children and grandchildren.
After many heartbreaking years of devoted caregiving and the death of Patty, just shy of their 50th wedding anniversary, Tom reconnected with childhood friend, Diana (Niles) Rowe, and has since proved that it is never too late to live happily ever after.
Tom Berry is survived by his children and their spouses: Chris and Rayleen (Esther Tuck) Berry, Frank and Rebecca (Spooner) Berry and Jane (Berry) and Stephan Donnell. He is forever “Beepa” to his grandchildren: Thomas, Sarah, Jakob, Evan and Guinevere. Also, he leaves his loving wife, Diana, and her daughters, Jennifer McGee and Kathy Lemieux, and their families, who welcomed Tom and all of his loved ones into their lives with open arms. His children are forever grateful for these last few years of happiness and love that we know extended his life and filled his failing heart. And of course, he is missed by his special friend and nemesis, Bella B!
In accordance with Tom’s wishes, there will be no formal services. He would ask that donations be made in his memory to: Bucksport Fire & Rescue Association, P.O. Box 1848, Bucksport, ME 04416. Our first responders are the kindest, most compassionate people and they went above and beyond for him.
Arrangements by Mitchell-Tweedie Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Bucksport. www.mitchelltweedie-young.com.