Helen Ann Fitzpatrick Berry

Helen Ann Fitzpatrick Berry, 91, widow of James Lawrence "Bill" Berry, formerly of Winter Park, FL, passed away May 2, 2010 at her home in Ridgeland, SC. She was born in Yonkers, NY on January 19, 1919 to the late John Fitzpatrick and Helen Maroney Fitzpatrick. She was a registered nurse. She obtained her nursing degree at Cochran School of Nursing; enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1941 and worked at Ft. Benning Hospital for fifteen months. She was assigned to 134 Evac Unit/Medical Hospital ships platoon and did four transatlantic crossings to casablanca under General George Patton; joined the 62nd General Hospital and saw service in Great Britain before D-Day; went ashore at Utah Beach and helped set up a field hospital in Carentan France. She ultimately worked in Paris until the end of the war. She received the African-Middle Eastern Theatre Campaign Ribbon, and the Ribbons for the European and American Campaigns. She received the American Defense Service Medal and the "EAME" ribbon with 1 battle star. She married staff Sgt. James L. Berry in 1945. They raised six children in Central Florida in the house they built in 1950. She lived there until July 2000, when she moved to Ridgeland, SC. She is survived by her two sons, James Berry of Haymarket, VA; John (Jan) Berry of Winter Park, FL; four daughters, Aliceann (Michael) Toole of Haymarket, VA; Helen (Jerry) Pendergrass of Ridgeland, SC; Meg (Martin) deBlank of Devon, England; Beth (Jim) Wurm of Ridgeland, SC; one brother, Thomas (Margaret) Fitzpatrick of Yonkers, NY; fifteen grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.A funeral mass will be celebrated at 11:00 am, Wednesday, May 5, 2010 at St. Anthony's Catholic Church in Ridgeland, SC with interment at Quantico National Cemetery, Monday, May 10, 2010 at 2:00 pm. A visitation will be held from 6 til 8 pm, Tuesday, May 4, 2010 with a rosary service beginning at 7:30 PM at Sauls Funeral Home, 310 W. Adams St. in Ridgeland, SC. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice Care of America, 1800 Paris Avenue, Port Royal, SC 29935.Sauls Funeral Home of Ridgeland is assisting the family with their arrangements. (saulsfh.com)Sauls Funeral