MEAFORD EXPRESS (Dec., 1921) -- After an illness of about two weeks which culminated in the death of Rev. John Berry, M.A., B.D., on Saturday morning, December 24, 1921, the town of Meaford has sustained a real loss, his immediate family a sad bereavement, and Christ Church, (Meaford) has been deprived of a much loved Rector.
   (The late) Rev. Mr. Berry was born in Tullamore, Ireland, in 1856, and was a graduate of the celebrated Trinity College, Dublin, his degrees of Master and Arts and Bachelor of Divinity being both obtained there. His father, Rev. John Berry, was Archdeacon of Trim, Ireland, and his son now deceased, became in succession Headmaster of Rosscarberry School, and Termoy College, Ireland.
   After over a year spent in purely parochial work in York and London, England, he came to Canada in 1893, as assistant in St. Paul's Cathedral, London, Ontario. He was afterwards successively Rector of Amherstburg, Parkhill, Seaforth, and Meaford. For several terms he had been Rural Dean of Grey, resigning recently.
   On Sunday December 11th at Christ Church the deceased became ill, and unable to finish his morning sermon. The evening service on that day was not held, though the Rector visited the Sunday School in the afternoon. On December 18th his son Mr. Fleetwood Berry, a student at Trinity College, Toronto, took charge of both morning and evening services. The following Sunday (Christmas Day) Rev. Canon Doherty, B.A. Of London, was the officiating clergyman.
   The deceased is survived by Mrs. Berry, five sons and one daughter:- E.W. Berry, Calgary, Alta; J.F. Berry, Admiral Sask: Mrs. B.C. Boulton, Dayton, Ohio; F.B. Berry and B.H. Berry, attending Toronto University: and W.S.C. Berry, at home. The members of the family were all home at the time of the funeral.
   The burial service in Christ Church on Wednesday Dec. 28th was taken by the Rev. W.A. Erp, B.A., Clarksburg, assisted by Rev. R. Seahorn, M.A. Rector of St. Cyprian's Church, Toronto. As the vested choir entered in solemn procession the officiating clergyman said the opening sentences of the service. The 39th Psalm was read in alternate verses, by Rev. R. Seahorn and the congregation. The Lesson used in the Church for Centuries viz: 1 Cor. Ch. 15, v. 20 to the end, was read by Rev. Mr. Erp, followed by the hymn, "On the Resurrection Morning", and the choir sang an ancient setting of Tennyson's "Crossing the Bar".
   The concluding prayers were taken by Rev. Mr. Erp who preached a very impressive sermon. He spoke of the deceased as being an ideal clergyman, faithful in his ministrations to his flock, and in his teaching; not a showy man, but modest and of sterling worth. The closing hymn of the church was "Father in Thy Holy Keeping, Here We Leave Thy Servant Sleeping".
   The choir and clergy then proceeded to the grave just outside the Church beside the Memorial window of Mr. Berry's son, Darby, who fell in the Great War. The casket being borne by Messrs. H. Manley, T. Moore, A.G. Bright, G. Latornell, E.H. Stephen and J.W. Simpson, followed by the mourners, the Masonic Order, and eight members of the Ministerial Association of Meaford. The floral tributes of respect were numerous and beautiful.
   At the conclusion of the burial prayers the members of Pythagoras Lodge conducted the Masonic burial service with the solemn dignity of the Order.