Thomas Joseph Berney

Thomas Joseph Berney, 64, of Bluffton, SC passed away on Thursday, September 17, 2009 in the Beaufort Memorial Hospital, Beaufort, SC.He was born in Omaha, Nebraska on November 9, 1944. He was the son of the late Dr. Paul William and Georgia Smith Berney.He grew up in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was a retired insurance executive. He was a US Army veteran of Viet Nam. He was a graduate of Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska, Class of 1967. He enjoyed volunteer charity work. He was ordained as a Deacon in May of 2007 and served at Saint Gregory the Great Catholic Church.He is survived by his wife of 39 years, Virginia Berney of Bluffton, SC; two daughters, Stephanie Grim and her husband, Ronald of Cary, NC and Elizabeth Berney of Ridgeland, SC; one brother, Dr. John Berney and his wife, Dora of Hilton Head Island, SC; one sister, Georgia Barnhizer of Des Moines, Iowa; and two grandchildren, Grace and Keagan Grim. He was predeceased by sisters, Regina Markel, Pauline Berney and brother, Paul Berney.The Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Saint Gregory the Great Catholic Church, 333 Fording Island Road, Bluffton, SC at 10:30 am, Tuesday, September 22, 2009 with burial at Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC at 2:30 pm. The family will receive friends at Saint Gregory the Great Catholic Church from 5 til 6:30 pm on Monday, September 21, 2009. A Wake Service will be held at 6:30 pm. The family requests memorial gifts be made to Saint Gregory the Great Catholic Church or School, 333 Fording Island Road, Bluffton, SC 29910 or the American Heart Association, P.O. Box 5216, Glen Allen, VA 23058.