Keith Berry

Reflections of Life
Today we are gathered here to celebrate the life of the highly respected
Keith A. Berry. Keith Berry was born on September 25, 1947, to Ivey
Thomas and Arthur Berry. He was raised by “Miss Vi,” the mother
figure in his life. His love for the ladies earned him the name “Solo,” a
shortened version of King Solomon who had many wives. I don’t need
to explain how he got that one. Some people called him “Chucky,” as we
used to; as we say in Jamaica, “Chuck Badness.”

Daddy was an ardent music fan with an extensive music collection to
match. So, it would be nothing to and him just listening to music. With
this appreciation of music, came a love for dancing as well. When you
saw Keith, he would be dressed to a “T.” He had a passion for fashion
and “dressing up.” Keith had a relationship with certain words, so he
would use them quite o en. Phrases such as “everything copacetic” or
“irie” making appearances in his conversations.

As a child, he attended Greenwich All-Age School, then he entered the
work world. As a young father who had to take care of his family, he
had to enter the workforce at an early age.  is helped him to become
a hard worker with a great work ethic. He worked at places such as
Berger Paint, where he had his start, Jamaica Railway Corporation and
Norman Manley Airport were able to witness some of his hard work.
Keith migrated to the United States in 1986, earned his GED, and
continued to show his hardworking skills working as a Dietary Aide.

Keith is remembered as being a protective brother who wanted to make
sure that his siblings were okay. Occasionally, you may even see a little
disciplinarian in him. He played his oldest brother role very well. As
a dad, he loved his children. As his daughter, Maureen says, “Waiting
in excitement for daddy to come home from work was a joy; riding the
train from Kingston to Montego Bay with him, I will never forget.” Dad
also wanted his children to do the right thing, o ering advice and little
speeches, or reasonings that would o en end with the phrase “Yuh si di
key?” Keith fathered Maureen, Shawn, Alando, Denise, Albert, Dean,
and Tianna.

In 1995, Keith married Paulette Robertson, someone he had met in 1981
while working for Air Jamaica at the airport. He did not only become
her husband, but a father- gure to her children, Arline Grant, Katy-
Ann Reid, Michelle Ludford, and Lecia Gordon.
A er years in New York, they moved to Orlando, Florida, into what
would be their forever home. And it truly was, as they kept their wedding
vows, and in death they have parted.  ey were two peas in a pod and
you would not see one without the other. Mealtime was never complete
if it was not done together. As a husband, Keith was loving, kind, and
considerate. He was a Christian and strived to live following Christian
values. He tried not to let his faith waiver through it all.

In the last couple of years when I talked to my dad and asked how was
he doing, his response would be in percentages, like “I am 60% or 75%,”
but today you are 100%. 100% free of sickness, sadness or pain.  ough
you are physically gone from us, you will always be in the heart of your
wife, children, brother, sisters, grand, and great-grandchildren, as well
as other family and friends. One thing is for sure, you are dancing, and
everything is copacetic.

He is survived by: his wife, Paulette Berry; six children, Maureen
Berry, Shawn Berry, Alando Berry, Denise Berry, Albert Berry, and
Dean Berry; four stepchildren, Arline Grant, Katy-Ann Reid, Michelle
Ludford, and Lecia Gordon; 13 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren;
siblings, Marjorie Bodie, Sharon Chin, Lelieth Lewis, and Barrington
Berry. Keith will be missed by a host of cousins, nieces, nephews, and
sorrowing friends.

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