William Berry's Obituary
William Monroe Berry, Jr. was born November 29, 1931 in Elba, Alabama to William Monroe Berry and Arphelar Page. He was the eldest of three sons, with his brother Thomas Brannon preceding him in death and his youngest brother, Rev. Eugene Brannon, currently residing in Little Rock, Arkansas. He accepted Christ at an early age. His mother moved from Alabama to Arkansas in 1943 during the war when workers were needed in a napalm plant in Little Rock, and she left her children in the care of relatives. When William was 12 or 13 he brought his two younger brothers from Alabama to Arkansas on a train to reunite the family. He attended school in Wrightsville, Arkansas until he was 16, when he quit school to work to take care of his family when his mother was laid off at the plant after the war ended.
He first worked as a dishwasher in a cafeteria in Little Rock, and progressed to bus boy and eventually fry cook. Around the age of 18 he became a bellhop at Albert Pike Hotel in Little Rock, where he met Lawrence “Sonny” Robinson. Sonny took William on a double date and introduced William to his Dunbar High School classmate and neighbor, Naomi Wallace. William fell in love and courted Naomi, and was run out of the neighborhood every time he went to visit her, but he persisted and they were married on August 1, 1950. They bought a small house in North Little Rock (the house payment was $15/month) and welcomed their first child William Monroe Berry, III in 1952. In 1953 the young family decided to move from Arkansas because of racial segregation and to make a better life in California.
Naomi moved first to Los Angeles by train with the baby in 1953 and lived with her girlfriend Nanette Kamack. William kept working in Arkansas until he saved enough money to move, and he joined Naomi in February 1954 in Los Angeles. They first lived with Naomi’s cousin Agnes Wallace on 59th and San Pedro and later rented a home between two garages on 79th Street. William and Naomi joined St. Stephen’s Baptist Church, where William served as a Deacon under Reverend Jordan. William’s first job in California was at Los Angeles County General Hospital in the laundry. He was laid off, but quickly found work at Prudential Insurance Company as a janitor. He then found work in 1955 with the City of Los Angeles as a loader with the sanitation department, and in 1961 he became a sanitation truck driver with the City. He kept his night job at Prudential in order to save money to buy his family a home. In 1956 he was able to quit his janitorial job and buy his own home at 102 E. 138th Street. Soon thereafter, his family expanded with the addition of two daughters, Bridgette and Ramona, in 1959 and 1961 respectively. William continued working with the City as a truck driver for 33 years, putting all three of his children through college (and one through law school) until he retired in 1988. He continued to live in his home on 138th and Main until his passing.
William was a very hard-working but fun loving husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, brother, uncle and friend. He loved to fish, bowl and work in his garden. He leaves to cherish his memory his wife of 63 years, Naomi Wallace Berry; his son William Monroe Berry III and his wife Clarissa, his daughters Bridgette Annette Berry-Smith and Ramona Lynne Mance; 9 grandchildren – William Monroe Berry IV, Lillian Annette Berry, Rishael Marie Washington (Marquise), Michael Shelton, Monique Naomi Mance, Aaron Christopher Berry, Ty Addison Mance, Jonathan Edward Berry-Smith and Al Ramon Edwards; 9 great-grandchildren Malachi Washington (preceded him in death), Lavon Bunkley, Makai Washington, Anthony Talley, King Shelton, Malia Washington, Keri Calmes, Jae Finley and Mhina Finley; brother Rev. Eugene Brannon and sister-in-law Anita; numerous nieces and nephews, many extended family members, loved ones and dear friends.
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