Richard "Dick" Berry

Richard "Dick" Carleton Berry, 88, of Tonganoxie, KS passed away on March 17, 2025 from a combination of dementia and COPD. Born in Des Moines, IA, Dick graduated from Shawnee Mission North High School in 1954. He furthered his education at Simpson College, Drake University, and eventually Northern Iowa University, earning a master’s in education.

Following a short stint with the U.S. Air Force, discharged for medical reasons, he worked as a baggage handler for TWA at the old KC municipal airport, where he met the love of his life, a TWA ticket teletypist, Janice Fraker of Conrad, IA. Following a short engagement, they were married on January 20, 1958, at the Country Club Methodist Church, during one of Kansas City’s more memorable winter blizzards.

Communication was a driving force in Richard’s life, due in part to his charismatic personality, sense of humor, and desire to be a crowd pleaser. Dick was also one to hold nothing back, at times exposing his fierce anger. Richard’s passions ranged between art, sports, history, and travel. He and Jan adventured into Alaska and traveled the Lewis and Clark trail multiple times. Dick will be best remembered for his ability to produce acrylic paintings of landscapes, animals, ships, and Native American culture. Incredulously, he didn’t begin painting until he retired from a career of corporate education; a career that took he and his family to such faraway places as the deep woods of Northern Minnesota, the Sonoran Desert of Southern Arizona, California, eventually settling in the Kansas City metropolitan area.

Richard leaves behind his three children, Michael of Marina, CA, Douglas and his wife, Judy of Tonganoxie, KS, and his daughter Joan of Overland Park, KS. His legacy includes “The Magnificent Seven” Grandchildren and an additional seven Great-Grandchildren.

A memorial service to honor the life of Dick and to entrust our loved one into the hands of God will be held at Tonganoxie Christian Church located at 204 Washington St. in Tonganoxie, Kansas on May 10th at 11:00am. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Charcot Marie Tooth Association, please.