Melvin R. Berry

Melvin R. Berry, a 91-year-old rural Galt resident, died on Monday, Feb. 10, 2020, at Wright Memorial Hospital in Trenton.
Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020 at the Galt Christian Church. Burial will follow at the Berry Cemetery, north of Galt.
A family visitation will be held at 10 a.m. on Saturday, prior to services, at the church.
Mr. Berry was born on Oct. 10, 1928 at his home north of Galt, the son of Harold and Goldia McCulley Berry. He graduated from Galt High School in 1946. He served in the Army during the Korean War from 1951-1953.
He was married on Oct. 22, 1961, to Laurel Ann Ratliff. He lived and farmed in the Fairview community his entire life. Besides being a lifelong farmer, he worked at Trenton Foods for 10 years.
He was a member of the Fairview United Methodist Church, and most recently attended the Galt Christian Church.
He was very involved in the community with service as a board member for the Grundy R-5 School District for 16 years and a board member for the local MFA cooperative for several years. He also served on the Berry Cemetery Board and Liberty Township Board. He was awarded the Missouri State Fair Farm Family Award in 1979 from Gov. Joseph Teasdale.
He enjoyed watching and listening to sports, especially the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals games, as well as spending time with family. He was always proud of his children’s and grandchildren’s accomplishments.
He is survived by his wife, Laurel Ann of the home; three daughters, Kristin Harris and her husband, Tom, and Anita Siler and her husband, Marc, all of Kansas City and Teresa Smith and her husband, Clint, of Branson; six grandchildren Emily and Kyle Siler and Megan and Andrew Harris, all of Kansas City, and Blake and Molly Smith of Branson; a sister, Jeanette Wengert of Montezuma, IA; two sisters-in-law, Marje Berry of Spring Arbor, MI and Doris Ferguson of Trenton; and several nieces and nephews.
Besides his parents, he was preceded in death by two brothers, William Berry and James Berry; and one sister, Reva Treese.
Memorial donations can be made to the Grundy County Opportunity Center (Learning Center) and may be left at or mailed to the Slater-Neal Funeral Home at Trenton.
Online condolences may be left at www.resthavenmort.com.