Mary Maxie Hood Berry

©Enid News and Eagle

05-06-2014

Submitted by: Jo Aguirre

©Enid News and Eagle

©Glenn

ENID, Okla. — Mary Maxie Hood Berry, 97, passed away Sunday, May 4, 2014, in Stillwater, Okla.

The family will greet visitors from 6-8 p.m. today, May 6, 2014, at Strode Funeral Home, Stillwater. Funeral service will be 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 7, 2014, at Eagle Heights Baptist Church, Stillwater. Interment will follow at 5 p.m. in Garrison Cemetery, Dacoma, Okla. At the request of Mary, she asked that friends and family wear green to her funeral as it is the symbol of life. Strode Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Mary was born April 25, 1917, in Dacoma, Okla., to Joseph Hood and Amanda Swearingen Hood.

She attended Dacoma schools, where she graduated with her high school diploma.

She married Eldon Berry on Jan. 1, 1935. They were together for 52 years, until his death in 1987.

Mary was first and foremost a farmer’s wife, and continued to manage the family’s farm in Alfalfa County after her husband Eldon’s death. She also served in her community as the librarian at the Alfalfa City-County Library and worked at the Payne County Election Board.

Mary and her husband traveled the world, touring and learning about the agriculture industry.

She was a charter member of Eagle Heights Baptist Church and a member of PEO and Eastern Star. She volunteered at Stillwater Medical Center, Cherokee Hospital, Cherokee Manor and Fort Supply State Hospital and delivered Meals on Wheels.

Mary was named Oklahoma Mother of the Year in 1976 and City of Cherokee Citizen of the Year in 1987. She also was a member of Cherokee BPW and served as a delegate to the National Republican Convention.

She was preceded in daeath by her parents, Joseph and Amanda Hood; husband, Eldon Berry; son, Max Berry; and three brothers, Robert, Cecil and Halsey Hood.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Barbara Jo Smith and husband Ed of Stillwater; three grandchildren, Chris Smith and wife Jenny of Bentonville, Ark., Shandee Smith Harrell and husband Wade of Victoria, Texas, and Amanda Berry Stephens and husband Andrew of Jenks, Okla.; and six great-grandchildren, Dylan and Delaney Smith, Griff and Sam Harrell, and Max and Henry Stephens.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions to be made in Mary’s name to: OSU Foundation, Womens Basketball Program, P.O. Box 1749 Stillwater, OK 74076; Stillwater Medical Center Foundation, Warm Water Pool, P.O. Box 240, Stillwater, OK 74076; Eagle Heights Baptist Church Building Fund, 2617 N. Jardot, Stillwater, OK 74075; or Cherokee Public Library, 123 S. Grand, Cherokee, OK 73728.

Condolences may be emailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.

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