On Thursday, October 12, 2023, Reverend Ronald Lee Berry passed away peacefully and moved on to his heavenly home while being surrounded by his loving family.

Ronald Lee Berry was born July 4, 1942 to Lillian Luokkala and Robert Berry in Longview, Washington. He grew up in the Rose Valley area where he attended Rose Valley Elementary in a one room classroom until 5th grade. His family then moved to the Lexington area, and he attended middle school there. The family moved to their home on Conger Road, in Castle Rock when he was a freshman and he lived there throughout high school.

Ron loved animals, he was an avid participant in Future Farmers of America, 4-H and Agriculture. He was a wrestler and a football player too. He graduated from Castle Rock High School in 1960.

When he was young and living in Rose Valley, he had a dog named King that he did everything with. He would work with his mother on her landscaping and rock gardens. He would go into the woods and find beautiful plants to dig up and bring back for her to plant in her rock garden.

Ron was always looking out for his little sisters, Roberta, Patsy, Lili and Lisa. When he was in middle school, he gave his sisters his bedroom, and his dad helped him build a camper on their 1960 Chevy truck. He would sleep in that so his sisters Roberta and Patsy could have one room and Lili and Lisa could have the other. When it was morning, his dad would knock on the truck to wake him so they could work together to milk the cows and feed the animals. They had to use the truck to hook up power to the milking machine. His sister Roberta painted a picture of Ron fishing on the side of the truck.

As a high schooler, Ron worked every day milking cows before and after school. He worked for Don Wilkins on Wilkins Farm. He would help hay from the bottoms of Conger Road throughout the Delameter area. He loved working with the animals and learned so much from Mr. Wilkins.

He was always busy with his friends Tom Cunningham, Boo Bouchard, Don Hite and Jack Janish. Almost every Friday, these boys would go to a hamburger place called the Shamrock to get snow cones and they would bring Ron’s youngest sister Lisa; she always looked forward to their time together.

Ron had a heart of gold, he would help anyone with anything they needed; especially mechanically. He had learned auto mechanics from his dad, and he loved to fix his friends cars. They used to tease him because he was so versed in pulling and repairing transmissions, they said they could time him on how fast he could put it back together.

Sister Patsy and Ron used to enter dancing competitions, they were good and often won the contests. He had a very soft spot for his sisters and was always looking out for them. Although he was rough and tough, his family saw a different side of him as he was always extremely compassionate and gentle whenever there were kids or babies around. Everyone knew he would go on to be a family man.

On June 7, 1960, Ron and a group of his friends (Jack Janisch, Jim Holborn, Jerry Palmer, Don Luster and Tom Cunningham.) enlisted in the US Airforce. Ron did so well on his Electrical testing that they wanted him to go work for NASA. But Ron declined, he wanted to come back home to Castle Rock.

In 1961, Ron’s parents were saved and were baptized in the Holy Spirit. Ron was then saved at 19 while attending the Castle Rock Nazarene Church. He was baptized by immersion in Kelso Nazarene Church in 1962.

On October 24, 1964 Ron married the love of his life, Dawn Marie Stacey. Together they attended the American Baptist Church in Longview. Ron served as the Vice-President of the American Baptist Day Care and Pre-school. They jointly taught a first grade Sunday School class, an adult Sunday School class, and a Boy’s Brigade for teen-age boys.

When Ron got home from his military service, he was hired by Weyerhaeuser Woods to be a chocker setter. A few years later, he was hired by Weyerhaeuser Pulp and Paper to be an electrician. Next, he was hired at Reynolds Aluminum Company as a Journeyman Electrician. He remained there for 30 years; retiring at age 55.

Ron and Dawn Marie had four children. In 1965, Ronald Lee Berry Jr. was born, followed by Katrina Corrine Berry (Harris) in 1966, then Robin Elizabeth Berry in 1969 and Donald Bee Berry (after Dawn’s father) in 1971.

While living on Lindsey Drive in Longview, Ron’s sister Lili moved in with him and his family. Ron worked to create a cute apartment for her above his garage. They were very close.

Ron moved his family to Castle Rock in 1971 and they joined the Castle Rock Christian Church. They were members for 11 years. During this time Ron received the baptism of the Holy Spirit. He and his wife started a Bible Study in their home. Dawn also taught Women’s Bible Study at the church.

By 1982 Ron and Dawn had started a regular Tuesday night Bible Study. This was an advanced Bible Study that started with 5 or 6 people and ended up having an average of 30 people each week. They also began having Praise meetings on Saturday evenings with an average of 40 people each night. They were attending the Castle Rock Nazarene Church.

In 1983 Pastor Don and Bonnie MacDonald asked Ron to be a guest speaker at their church at Longview Foursquare Church for an evening service. Soon they asked him to speak once a month. Ron began taking the Rhema Correspondence Courses from Kenneth Hagin Ministries. A District Representative of the Foursquare denomination from Vancouver approached Ron about starting a church in Castle Rock. Ron’s heart’s desire was to serve the Lord as a full-time pastor of a Foursquare Church.

At 41 years old Ron’s desire was awarded with the Foursquare Gospel Church issued a District Ministerial License to Ron.

While still at Reynolds, Ronald started the Castle Rock Foursquare Church in 1983. He and his wife Dawn Marie had been hosting many bible studies and family groups before they started their church. Within a few years, they had an opportunity to take over a building in Kelso and became Kelso Foursquare Church. Soon the opportunity became available to take over the Longview Foursquare Church building. They continued their ministry for 28 ½ years. Ron also started recording television shows called “Practical Christianity” on KLTV and his wife recorded “Dawn’s Day”. Their goal as ministers was to meet people wherever they were at, God loved them and so did they. Countless people’s lives were changed by their faith-based teaching ministry!

Ron received a Certificate of Merit from Rhema Correspondence Bible School in 1986, Certificate of Progress from Rhema Correspondence Bible School in 1988, and he graduated from Rhema Correspondence Bible School in January 1990. He went on to receive his International Church of the Foursquare Gospel “License to Preach” in 1992. He was recognized by The Foursquare Church for his “Distinguished and Faithful Service as a Minister” in 2012. In 2017, Ron and his wife Dawn Marie were both honored with The Foursquare Church “Worthy of Honor 25 Year of Faithful Service” Award.

Ron was a family man; he had a huge family of over 50 people in his genealogy. He had four kids, many grandkids and even more great grandchildren. He is an avid gardener and loved to landscape. He had a green thumb and he shared this skill with his daughter’s Katrina and Robin, and his sons. Even this year he has continued this legacy teaching his great grandchildren how to garden and harvest. Ron had learned this trait from his mother Lillian and his Uncle Axel. Ron always wanted to provide for his whole family, if they needed a place to stay or if they needed food to eat and continually was able to provide fresh fruits and vegetables to all of them every year with his garden.

He taught his children how to work; they are all hard-working, dedicated employees. They excelled in any job they had or any education they pursued. They, in turn, have taught their children how to work. Ron was also very mechanically inclined. He had built three houses, maintained a mini-farm with his family with goats, cows, pigs, chickens, ducks, turkeys and rabbits, he also operated and owned Cowlitz Appliance Repair for a time in his life. Through the skill of Ron, both of his sons are exceptionally mechanically inclined. These skills were also taught and passed on to his son-in-law Anthony, and now on to each of his grandson’s who are all millwrights, instrumentation electricians, journeymen scaffolding, construction, or military careers. His daughters are extremely hard working and are looked upon with favor in their careers as a Medical Coder for Peacehealth and Business and Finance Manager at the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office.

Ron loved his time with family; he especially enjoyed visiting with his immediate family as it grew. He loved to going deer hunting with his son Ron, bass fishing with his son Don, and fishing in Alaska with his daughter Katrina. This year he enjoyed the help of his daughter Robin as they together planted his entire garden. He loved watching his children, grandchildren and his great-grandchildren while they were playing sports. He also loved his little dogs, especially his little “Lady” and most recently “Buddy”.

This summer Ron’s goal was to attend his youngest granddaughter’s wedding. He was so thankful he was able to attend. It was a heartfelt time for our entire family that we will never forget as Papa Ron was able to “Dance with all of his girls!”.

Ron leaves behind his loving wife Dawn Marie (Stacey) Berry of Castle Rock, who were married 59 years this October, his son Ronald Berry Jr. (Marley) of Lenore, Idaho; his daughter Katrina Corrine (Anthony) Harris of Castle Rock, Washington; his daughter Robin Elizabeth Berry of Castle Rock, and his son Donald Bee Berry (Carly) of Silver Lake, Washington. He had 20 grandchildren, and 13 great grandchildren with one on the way in February 2024.

He also leaves behind his sister Roberta (Elmo) Wise of Ocean Shores, Washington, his sister Lisa Hill in Castle Rock, Washington, and brother-in-law Bob Lydic and numerous nieces and nephews.

Proceeding him in death are his parents Lillian and Robert Berry, and his sisters Patsy Trull and Lili Lydic.

There will be a private graveside service for immediate family only.

On Saturday, October 21 at 1:00 p.m. there will be a Celebration of Life at New Life Church located at 2441 – 42nd Avenue, Longview, Washington. There will be light dessert and coffee social to follow.