Maggie Bernice Berry, 96, of the Falconhead Community, Love County,
OK went to her heavenly home on Tuesday, June 21, 2022.
She was born
on February 18, 1926 on the Holland Place near Leon, OK, the sixth
of nine children born to Alvin H. and Maggie (McBride) Holland.
Bernice, as she was called, attended Batson and Leon Schools. She
was a talented athlete which led her to being promoted one year
ahead so she could play basketball and softball for the Leon teams.
Bernice married in 1943 to Oscar Johnson of Jimtown, OK. She bore
two sons, the first of which died in infancy. Her son, Jimmy was
born on November 12, 1945 and the family made their home in
Burneyville, OK for three years before moving to California on the
advice of Dr. M.D. Looney to ease their son’s health issues. Bernice
lived and worked around Visalia, CA as a packing house worker,
waitress, and finally as a motel housekeeping supervisor. After her
first marriage ended, in 1964 she married Ronald L. Berry.
Bernice’s working career ended in 1971 after a serious automobile
accident left her permanently injured and she became a homemaker and
later a caregiver for Ronald. They moved to Falconhead in Love
County in 1982 and lived out their lives together there. Bernice
loved helping with the chili suppers and the fish fries for the
Falconhead Volunteer Fire Department and became “Ma Berry” to the
firefighters. Ronald died in 2008 after a 44-year marriage and
Bernice turned over her homemaking to her son, who lived with and
cared for her for 14 years.
In her later years, Bernice let it be known that she always
preferred the name Maggie, and she became “Miss Maggie” to the
nurses and staff of Mercy Health Love County and Lake Country
Nursing Center.
Miss Maggie was preceded in death by her parents, seven brothers and
sisters, and her husband Ronald.
She is survived by her son, Jimmy (James Johnson); her beloved
brother, Marvin Jack Holland; numerous nieces, nephews, and their
families; and a very special caregiver, Kelsey Herndon.
Services to celebrate Miss Maggie’s life will be held at 10:00 a.m.,
Friday, June 24, 2022 at the Flanagan-Watts Funeral Home Chapel,
Marietta with Chaplain Joel Thompson officiating. Interment will
follow at the Leon Cemetery. Visitation will be from 6:00 p.m. to
8:00 p.m. on Thursday at the funeral home.
Honorary bearers are the children of her sisters and brothers, the
nurses and staff of Elara Hospice, the nurses and staff of Lake
Country Nursing Center, and the nurses and staff of Mercy Health
Love County.
