Ruth Parks Berry

Ruth Parks Berry, 98, of Orange, passed away on October 25, 2018, in Orange.

Funeral services will be 3:00 p.m., Monday, October 29, 2018, at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange. Officiating will be Pastor Keith Tilley of Faith United Methodist Church. Burial will follow at Orange Forest Lawn Cemetery.

Visitation will be prior to the service starting at 2:00 p.m., at Claybar Funeral Home in Orange.

Born in Hammond, Indiana, on January 14, 1920, she was the daughter of Ernest D. Parks and Glenna M. Gebhart. Schooling was always at the forefront of Ruth’s life, beginning by attending night school to get her GED. She married her loving husband, Wilbur, on August 13, 1936. Ruth worked at Hallmark stores in both Orange and Bridge City and as a lunch room manager at West Orange schools for over 20 years until her retirement. She was a dedicated member of the Retired Teachers Association of Orange County, and was a RSVP Volunteer, and enjoyed traveling with her fellow members and friends to Hawaii and the Hershey Factory in Pennsylvania, among many other destinations. Ruth was a member of Faith United Methodist Church. She enjoyed bowling, cooking, working puzzles and always attended her children and grandchildren’s ball games, and other activities. Ruth will be dearly missed by all those who knew and loved her.

She was preceded in death by her loving husband, Wilbur Berry; parents, Ernest and Glenna Parks; brothers, Vernon Parks, and Calvin Parks; sister, Vera Turrell; son, Gene Berry; daughter, Sylvia Nies; and daughter-in-law, Betty Kelley.

She is survived by her son, Norman Berry and wife Loretta; daughters, Sheila Gobert and husband Glenn, and Sandra Sears and husband James; son-in-law, Mike Nies; grandchildren, Bobby Berry and wife Mari, Gena Wilson and husband Johnny, Mike Berry and wife Jill, Steve Berry and wife Laura, Chris Berry and wife Brenda, Michael Berry and wife Nandita, Trisha Jernigan and husband David, Gary Gobert, Angie Williams and husband Kevin, Amy Stephens and husband Kyle, David Sears and wife Leigh, Lisa Short and husband Ricky, Kory Manuel and wife Cheryl, and Troy Manuel and wife Jessi; 33 great-grandchildren; and 10 great-great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Faith United Methodist Church Building Fund at 8608 Martin Luther King Jr. Dr., Orange, Texas 77632, or a charity of your choice.

The family would like to extend a special thanks to the staff at The Meadows and Heart to Heart Hospice.