Shirley Gene (White) Berry passed away on July 27, 2017 following a tragic auto accident in Lufkin, Texas. Shirley was born December 5, 1956 in Houston, Texas to Charles and Georgia White. She grew up in Houston and worked in the insurance industry there for 30 years, before becoming a teacher with Spring Branch ISD.
Shirley graduated as an honors student from Spring Woods High School. She went on to earn a Bachelor’s degree at The University of Houston with a major in Human Development & Consumer Science. Shirley began working at a small insurance broker in Houston in 1980 and continued to work at several other agencies and commercial insurance carriers in the Houston area over the ensuing years. Shirley loved working in her garden and tending to her roses. She was an avid runner and cyclist, and liked to travel, visiting over 60 countries before her untimely passing.
Shirley was preceded in death by her father Charles (Chuck) White and her grandmother Eula Lindsey. She is survived by her mother Georgia; her husband Rick Berry, son Justin Berry, daughter Jennifer and husband Ben Murrill; as well as her grandchildren Charlotte and Annie; sister Lynn Wren and husband Bobby, all of Houston; sister Geneva Knight and husband Lee of Ft Worth; numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, aunts; and many friends.
Visitation with the family will be held from 6:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m., Wednesday, August 2, 2017 at Waltrip Funeral Directors, 1415 Campbell Road, Houston, Texas. Funeral services will be 10:00 a.m., Thursday, Fair Haven United Methodist Church, 1330 Gessner Rd, Houston, Texas, with Rev. Bob Luton, officiating. Additional visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., Friday, August 4, 2017 at Coker Mathews Funeral Home, 5100 IH-30, Greenville, Texas with services beginning at 11:00 a.m., Rev. Benny Chaffin, officiating. Interment will follow in Memoryland Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.