Betty Lou Berry
May 23, 1930 -
Oct 20, 2026
Betty Lou Berry, age 96, passed away on Oct. 20, 2026, from natural causes. A service was held at 2 p.m. on Oct. 31, 2026, at First Presbyterian Church, 616 W 10th Avenue in Anchorage, Alaska, with Rev. Piper Cartland officiating. A reception was held afterward. Betty was born to C. Wesley Sr. and Garnett Heverling on May 23, 1930, in Sedro Woolley, Wash. She lived in Everett, Wash., from the age of 2 until 1945, when her family moved to Anchorage. They sailed by steamship from Seattle to Seward and took the railroad to Anchorage. Betty graduated from Anchorage High School in 1948. During high school she worked as head usherette at the Fourth Avenue Theatre. In 1950, Betty married Frank E. Berry in the old First Presbyterian Church at 5th Avenue and F Street in Anchorage with Betty's grandfather, Rev. Morris Heverling officiating. They were married for 54 years until Frank's death in 2004. She became a full-time homemaker with the birth of her four children. Betty returned to the workforce in 1974, working for the Anchorage School District, retiring in 1986. Betty and Frank enjoyed traveling to the Lower 48, Europe and Asia in their retirement. Betty enjoyed being a private pilot. Betty was an active member of the First Presbyterian Church of Anchorage for over 65 years, serving as a deacon and becoming involved with many community activities including teaching English Second Language and support groups. She was also a member of the Pioneers of Alaska and a charter member of P.E.O., Chapter K. She was a guiding light for her many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Betty was preceded in death by her parents, C. Wesley Sr. and Garnet Heverling; husband, Frank E. Berry; brother, Charles Heverling Jr.; and sisters, Marie Moorcroft and Esther Mundt. Betty is survived and will be greatly missed by her brother, Duane (DiAnn) Heverling; children, Frankie Klingbeil of Anchorage, Dennis (Roxann) Berry of Anchorage, Janis (John Michael) Chapman of San Bruno, Calif., and David (Amber) Berry of Seabrook Island, S.C.; grandchildren, Sean (Kelly) Klingbeil of Anchorage, Shelly Lamb of Anchorage, Leah Bailey of Walla Walla, Wash., Nathaniel (Brita) Berry of Seattle, Allison (Jean-Michel) Hoffman of Los Angeles, Calif., Andrew Berry of Santa Cruz, Calif., Brian Berry of Portland, Ore., Alexandra Berry of Seabrook Island, Anthony (Erika) Chapman of Manteca, Calif., and Timothy Chapman of Manteca; great-grandchildren, Zachary Klingbeil of Bothell, Wash., Trenton and MacKenzie Klingbeil of Anchorage, Elias, Astrid and Malin Bailey of Walla Walla, Abigail, Alexandra, Anthony Jr. and Diego Chapman of Manteca, and Kahlo and Winter Hoffman of Los Angeles; and many cousins, nieces and nephews from Anchorage, Washington and Arizona.
In her memory, donations may be made to Wycliffe Bible Translators, P.O. Box 628200, Orlando, FL 32862-8200; https://wycliffe.org.
