John Latham Berry

" John Latham Berry, 86, of Belchertown, MA, died peacefully at Mary Lane Hospital in Ware on Thursday, August 11, 2011. Born in Washington D.C., John was an Army veteran of WWII. He served in Italy, and was the recipient of the ETO ribbon with seven campaign stars and two Presidential unit citations. John was a 1949 graduate of the University of Pennsylvania Wharton School earning a BS in Economics. He worked as a sales executive and stockbroker, residing with his wife and four children in Bethesda, MD, for twenty years. An avid whitewater canoeist and competitor, he was a US National Champion in solo and tandem classes, and in slalom and wild water events from 1959 -1965. He was an early and active member of the Canoe Cruisers Association in Washington, D.C. He was a member of the first US team to compete in the 1961 World Championships. In 1970, John established Millbrook Boats, Inc. in Waitsfield, VT later moved to Riparius, NY. He designed and built open and decked whitewater canoes and taught canoeing clinics. He continued to compete and won several open canoe Masters Class slalom titles between 1975 -1983. A Belchertown resident since 1989, he continued to paddle on the Swift River nearly every day until health issues during the past year slowed him down. His beloved wife of 63 years, Janet M Berry, passed away a year ago. John is survived by his three daughters, Katharine Berry of West Barnstable, MA, Rebecca Creswell of Basking Ridge, NJ, Virginia Berry of Goshen MA., a son, John Berry, Jr. of Chestertown, NY, four grandchildren and a great grandson. Calling hours are Friday, August 19, 1:00 - 3:00 P.M. at Beers and Story Funeral Home, 10 Maple St. (Rt. 202) Belchertown. In lieu of flowers, for those wishing, please make donations in his memory to Baystate VNA and Hospice, 50 Maple St., P.O. Box 9058, Springfield, MA 01102 or Swift River Preservation Assn, 507 Cold Springs Road, Belchertown, MA 01007. "