Funeral services for Robert Berry of Brookhaven are noon on Saturday, March 8, 2014, at Center Street Church of Christ with burial in Friendship Church Cemetery. Brother Winfred Frazier will be officiating. Tyler Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Visitation is Friday from noon until 7 p.m. at the funeral home with the family present from 6 until 7 p.m.

Mr. Berry, 53, died Thursday, Feb. 27, 2014, at Hardy Wilson Memorial Hospital, Hazlehurst. He was born in Copiah County on June 30, 1960, to Dave Jackson Jr. and Katie Mae Jackson.

He was the seventh of 11 children. He graduated from Brookhaven High School in 1980 and later attended Copiah-Lincoln Community College where he studied criminal justice, then Southwest Community College where he studied business.

He held many jobs. He was a correctional officer at Angola, a chief deputy and detective at the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Department, an inspector at Georgia-Pacific, an inspector at MDOT in McComb, a truck driver for Roadway, Doerle and Advance Auto Parts; and a school bus driver for the Brookhaven Public Schools and Lincoln County Schools while still holding his position as a private investigator.

He was baptized at Center Street Church of Christ at an early age under the leadership of the late Brother Curtis McCullom. He was a Mason of Masonic Temple Lodge Keystone 73. Robert’s favorite saying was “easy like a Sunday morning.”

Preceding him in death were his parents; one brother, Eric; two sisters, Josie Eubanks and Alice Bowman; and a nephew, David Kentrell.

He leaves to cherish his memory Joyce Smith, his loving companion for 15 years; three children, Panaquad Smith, of Arlington, Texas, Shezwae Spiller (Tario), and James Smith (Patricia), of Brookhaven; one stepson, Antwain Smith, of Monroe, La.; five sisters, Beverly Edwards (Harry), of Bogue Chitto, Evelyn Washington (Eddie), Mae Helen Berry, Katie Ruth Berry and Glenda Kees, all of Brookhaven; three brothers, Willie Berry, David Berry (Betty) and Royce Berry, all of Brookhaven; and six grandchildren; God brothers and sisters, Rufus Harris, of Brookhaven, Robert Clay, of Gulfport, Willie and Felicia Scott, of Atlanta and Angela Newman, of Jackson; devoted friends, Ricky Beavers, Annie Montgomery, Christine Dunn, Luther “Cool Daddy” Richardson, who he was a caregiver for; and a host of other nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.