Kathleen Berry

LEWISTON – Our dear sweet forever young sister, Kathleen Berry, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 18, 2025 at 12:07 of Dementia, which she had begun in the last year or so; she passed away at Marshwood Nursing Home, 33 Roger St., Lewiston.

She loved her family, especially her sisters, Lois Hathaway, Susan Novros and Arlene Nason, and her friends and caretakers. Her sisters kept a vigil going with regular visits, telephone calls, Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter and especially Kathy’s July Birthday parties, packages and mail throughout her life in the many special homes and culminating in the Marshwood Nursing Home, after she lost the use of her legs.

Kathleen was born July 19, 1951, to Adoniram J. and Thelma (Marble) Berry at the Rumford Hospital. She had siblings, Charles H. Berry (Skip), Lois Hathaway, Susan Novros and Arlene Nason and two half sisters (really more like sisters always) Beryl (Berry) Hayden and Marilynn Rumley.

According to Kathy’s specific and written down wishes she wanted to be cremated and interred next to her mother and father in the Pleasant Hill Cemetery in Livermore Falls, ME. A special marble urn was chosen for her.

Kathy had encephalitis set in and high fever when she was 18 months old which left her with special needs, but she lived a full life with adventures with her family, her friends and her many caretakers over the years. She participated in Special Olympics for a few years, fishing with her friends at Pathways and in the homes she lived in prior to living at Marshwood Nursing Home. Her family took her to York Wild Animal Kingdom in York. The animals were exciting and wonderful but not to Kathy; she perked up when she reached the gift shop, which was the only exit from the kingdom to get to Lois’s car.

Kathy loved princesses from around the world and often drew them with special cute features and the forest creatures too. Her memorial will show these wonderful sketches for all to see. Receiving stretchy bracelets, ruby rings, and baby dolls and soft stuffies (stuffed animals) made her day!

Kathy lived with Bev Morin in Mechanic Falls, for over 16 years and attended the Hosanna Church for years. It was there that she became a Prayer Warrior for family and friends who needed Jesus and our Father in Heaven for healing or special prayers. Once a name was mentioned, she bowed her head and put her prayer hands together she bowed her head and began to pray in earnest. As a youngster, Kathy and Arlene used to walk to the North Turner Presbyterian Church for Sunday School and Vacation Bible School. The family lived above and owned the Berry’s General Store, Restaurant and Gas Station at the Junction of Rt. 4/219 until 1969. When A J and Thelma and Kathy moved to Hartford, she attended the Hartford Presbyterian Community Church. Then she attended the Hosanna Church until she moved out of Mechanic Falls.

Later on, state rules for homes for special needs people changed and she lived in various homes in Augusta, Norway, Oxford and Lewiston. After that she was moved to Marshwood Nursing Home until her passing on Sept. 18, 2025. Kathy was predeceased by her parents, A J and Thelma Berry, a stillborn sister, Julia Berry, and her only brother, Charles Berry, as well as her sisters Beryl Hayden and Marilynn Rumley. The family wants to wholeheartedly thank all of her caretakers for their loving and specialized care of Kathy over the decades.

We also want to thank everyone for honoring Kathy’s life with special times and as she lay dying. The visits, cards, packages, special crocheted afghans and quilts, gifts received over the years, especially the baby dolls, bracelets, necklaces and rings and the soft stuffed animals gave Kathy great joy.

A funeral will be held at the Leeds Community Church, 123 Church Hill Rd, Leeds, followed by a Celebration of Life Memorial in the spacious gym at the church on Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025 at 4 p.m. Arrangements are under the care of Chandler Funeral Homes & Cremation Service, 45 Main St., South Paris. The Leeds Church Women and Deacons will provide refreshments at the gym. Online condolences may be shared with her family at http://www.chandlerfunerals.com