Irene C. Berry, 100
NORTH ADAMS, Mass. — Irene C. (Pelletier) Berry, 100, passed away peacefully at her home in Venice, FL on October 22, 2023. Born December 31st, 1922 in Salmon Falls (now part of Rollingsford), NH. She was the daughter of Charles and Lodina (Mailhot) Pelletier.
She graduated from North Chelmsford High School, Class of 1940. Shortly after, she enlisted in the US Coast Guard. A SPAR veteran, she served during WW2 stationed first for training at Hunter College in New York City and then at Long Beach, California, eventually attaining the rank of first class petty officer. Her work career included employment at the Proctor Lumber Company in North Chelmsford, MA, Travelers’ Aid in Washington, DC and Hunter Machine Company in North Adams, MA.
She was a member of the North Adams Travel Club, North Adams Regional Hospital Auxiliary, the Girls Scout Council of Western MA and the North Adams Visiting Nurses Association. She was a volunteer at the hospital driving cancer patients and also volunteered for various other charitable and civic organizations including the Girl Scouts where she was a Girl Scout Leader. She continued her civic contributions even in her 90’s, participating in the Relay for Life and when COVID came along, at 98, she sewed hundreds of masks for family, friends and the public. She loved helping others.
Anyone who knew Irene, loved her. She was a dynamo right up until the end. She loved spending time with her family and loved playing bridge with her Florida friends. She was an adventurer and traveled throughout the country many times and cruised often. Irene loved to dance, taking dancing lessons a week after her 100th birthday (although she didn’t need them). She was the best letter writer, never missing a birthday, anniversary, holiday or just an “I was thinking of you.”
She was predeceased by her husband of 69 years, Leon K. Berry, her daughter Anne who passed shortly after birth in 1954, and her two brothers, George and Charles Pelletier. She is survived by her three daughters, Susan Spooner of North Adams, Ellen Chilabato (Oscar) of Portsmouth, RI and Janet Berry of Santa Fe, NM. Her five grandchildren, Rebecca Cellana (Curt), Stephen Spooner, Lauren Aleixo (Alessandro), Patrick Chilabato (Trinh), Joseph Chilabato and 10 great grandchildren. She is also survived by many nieces, nephews and cousins.
In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory can be made to the North Adams Ambulance Service, 10 Harris St, North Adams, MA 01247 or Tidewell Hospice in Sarasota, FL (https://tidewellhospice.org/)
A celebration of life will be on June 22, 2024 at Southview Cemetery at 11:00 am.
