Mary Berryman

Mary Anne Berryman, 82, of Dallas, Texas passed away peacefully on Sunday morning, May 31, 2020 after a lengthy struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. She was born in Clarksville, Arkansas on June 4, 1937 to H.R. “Chick” and Margaret Oldham Pierce. She met her husband, James Cleo “Jim” Berryman, in the fall of 1959 while the two were attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. They would later make their home in Arkadelphia, AR, where they would raise two children and become active members of the First Baptist Church and the community.

She graduated from Clarksville High School in the spring of 1955 and earned a degree in Interior Design from the University of Oklahoma in 1959. She went on to earn an MSE degree from Ouachita Baptist University and taught first grade at Perritt Elementary School for more than twenty-eight years.

She enjoyed teaching and always liked to hear from her former students as they ventured through life. She really loved being with her family and with the life-long friends she made over the years. She liked to travel, sing in the church choir and house-related projects. Most importantly, she cherished her faith in God and shared her testimony through service to others.

She was a member of the civic service group, Civitan International and followed in husband Jim’s footsteps by serving a term as Governor of Arkansas District of Civitan International.

She was preceded in death by her parents and husband, as well as her sister, Donna Saylor of Ocean Springs, MS and brother-in-law George Andrew Berryman of Hot Springs. She is survived by her sister, Sandra Holt, of Little Rock, AR; daughter, Cathryn Ann, of Dallas, Texas; son, James Andrew (Melinda) also of Dallas, TX; grandchildren, Lacie, Heidi (Rob), Zoe and seven nieces.

A visitation is planned for Friday, June 5 ^th from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at Ruggles-Wilcox Funeral Home in Arkadelphia with a service following at First Baptist Church at 2 p.m. The internment will be held at Oakland Cemetery in Russellville, AR at 2 p.m. on Saturday, June 6 ^th .

In lieu of flowers, the family would prefer a donation to the Alzheimer’s Association on Mary Anne’s behalf.

Online register is available atwww.ruggleswilcox.com

Due to COVID19 and C.D.C. recommendations, social distancing will be practiced and face coverings are required.