Fred Ogle Berry, Jr.

Berry Jr., Fred Ogle, age 67, of South Knoxville, passed away Wednesday, February 12, 2003, at St. Mary?s Medical Center. Fred grew up in the Mount Olive community and graduated from Young High School in 1953. He accepted Christ at an early age and became a member of Mount Olive Baptist Church, where he has served as deacon, choir member and soloist. One of his great joys was directing music. He served on several occasions as interim music director at Mt. Olive as well as leading the music at other area churches. As a teenager, Fred began his career with the family funeral business, Berry Funeral Home. He was a graduate of Dallas Institute ? Gupton Jones College of Mortuary Science. During the Korean conflict, he served in the U.S. Army Medical Corps for six years. The funeral business was more than just a job to Fred. He considered it a ministry that allowed him to help others through the most difficult times of their lives. As President of Berry Funeral Home, Fred has served thousands of families through the years. He has served as Past President of: The Knoxville Funeral Director?s Association, The Tennessee Funeral Director?s Association and The Tennessee State Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers. As a member of the National Funeral Directors Association and Tennessee Funeral Directors Association, he served 15 years as chairman of the Mass Fatality Response Committee. On the Federal level he has served as Past President of the National Foundation for Mortuary Care, Commander and Deputy Commander for Region Four DMORT, National Disaster Medical System, under the direction of the U.S. Dept. of Public Health, Office of Emergency Preparedness. He was a founding member of the DMORT Weapons of Mass Destruction Team, which responds to terrorist events involving the handling of remains from a nuclear, biological, or chemical event. Through his work in emergency preparedness, he has responded to many deployments including the New York World Trade Center disaster. He was a certified FEMA Mass Fatality Course Instructor and has participated in the training of thousands of emergency personnel throughout the southeast. He served as chairman of the local emergency preparedness committee for Knoxville and Knox County; member of the Board of Directors, Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad and Captain of the Rescue Support team. Organizational memberships include: member and former board member, Kiwanis Club of Knoxville, South Knoxville Lodge 769 F & AM, Scottish Rite, Kerbela Shrine Temple, Provost Guard, Royal Order of Jesters, Kachina Klub, former Board Member Knoxville Area Communications Center for the Deaf, former Captain of the Knoxville Reserve Police. Preceded in death by mother, Georgia Rule Berry; father, Senator Fred O. Berry, Sr.; stepmother, Ruth Berry; brother, G. Edward Berry. Wife of 48 years, Marilyn Brooks Berry; daughter and son-in-law, Kimberlin Yvonne and James Buchanan; son and daughter-in-law Fred, III and Kelly Pack Berry; grandchildren; Jonathan Brooks Buchanan, Katelin Yvonne Buchanan, Lucas Bryan Buchanan, Zachary Thomas Berry, Bryson Ogle Berry, and Jesse Hunter Berry; sister, Nancy Lee and husband Eddie; brother, Dr. David A. Berry; sisters-in-law, Shirley Berry and Cheryl Berry; several nieces and nephews; uncle, Earl Berry; special cousin, Edward S. Weigel. His life will be celebrated at 2:30 PM Sunday at Mt. Olive Baptist Church with Rev. Deron Cobb officiating. Interment will follow at Mt. Olive Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Bob Batson, Tony Blair, Arthur Bohanan, Dale Downey, Howard Hawkins, Herbert McLemore, Gene Pike, Fred Randles, Steve Tinder and Dr. Bob Ward. Honorary Pallbearers will be Berry Funeral Homes? Staff, Mt. Olive Baptist Church Choir, Knoxville Volunteer Rescue Squad, and members of the Federal and Local Emergency Preparedness Teams. Please make memorials to Mt. Olive Baptist Church Building Fund, 2500 Maryville Pike, Knoxville, Tennessee 37920. Family will receive friends from 4:00 PM until 8:00 PM Saturday at Berry Funeral Home, Chapman Highway.