Obituary for Bernita Hellerich (Berry)
Visitation for Bernita Cora Hellerich nee Berry will be held Saturday, March 6, 2021 2:00 - 8:00p.m. at the Countryside Funeral Home and Crematory 1640 Greenmeadows Blvd. (at Barrington Rd.) Streamwood/Schaumburg. Service 4:00p.m. Family and friends will meet Monday 12noon at the funeral home to process to Randhill Park for inurnment at 1:00p.m. Cremation was private at the Countryside Crematory.
**Due to current COVID-19 restrictions 50 people will be allowed in the funeral home and masks are required.
A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she passed away February 17, 2021 at the age of 92. Bernita was a resident of Mt. Prospect for 55 ½ years.
Born in Moweaqua, Illinois on October 30, 1928 to Helen Ruth (Deshon) and Chaplain Jacob Claude Berry. She was the youngest of three children, sister Beverley and oldest brother Paul. She talked fondly of her childhood days and lovingly of her father, who passed away early in her teens.
In high school, Bernita was active in sports and particularly liked volleyball and basketball. She
also enjoyed the arts, music, poetry, painting, and nature. She was an alumni of Shimer College
in Mt. Carroll, IL, class of ‘46, where she studied Liberal Arts and continued painting, creating oil
and water-color paintings that still adorned her home.
From Shimer College she moved to Saint Joseph, MO with her mother and sister, where there
were many Aunts and Uncles of which she was very fond and close to. While in Saint Joseph,
Bernita met the love of her life, Leonard, not long after his return from the Philippines, having
served in the Army from 1944-1946. They fell in love and married in 1948, celebrating their last
anniversary of 50 years on April 17, 1998.
Bernita loved flowers and floristry, and was passionate about gardening. In the early ‘70s she
took a part-time job at the former Haberkamps Flowers of Mt. Prospect. She later went on to
earn a real estate license in 1978. In the early to mid ‘80s, Bernita was a devoted member of
Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington where she volunteered many hours of
service.
Over the years, Bernita bestowed her love and affection to many pets big and small. She had
many dogs including Shane, Chloe, Mindy, and be-loved JR, and cats Caesar, Bunker, Spike,
Sly, Shawna, and Smokey. She loved them all, and enjoyed all the little critters, birds, bunnies,
squirrels, fox, and butterflies that might pass through her yard.
Foremost and above everything else, the most important thing to Bernita was her family. She
was unwavering in her love and devotion as a wife, mother, grandmother, and great
grandmother. Her cheerful and tender spirit was always there to comfort, support, and
encourage them. Throughout her life Bernita was a gentle and compassionate teacher and
possessed an unobtrusive wisdom and optimism that everyone could count on. Her sacrifice
was selfless. She drew upon herself willingly, purely from the abundance of love in her heart.
Bernita was a woman of great strength, grace, virtue, faith, and courage. Her beautiful soul will
be be-loved eternally by all in her family, and treasured by many having known her.
She is the beloved wife of the late Leonard; loving mother of Mark Philip Hellerich, Claudia Helen Schmidt, Paul Leonard Hellerich and the late Kimberly Joy (Robert) Sperlazzo and Grant Berry Hellerich; cherished grandmother of Joy (Lucas) Hammer, Day (Alex) Munson, Gwynne (Tomas) Burkart, Guy (Emlee) Sperlazzo, Banner Sperlazzo and Alissa (Nick) Larsen; proud great grandmother of Briana, Cameron, Owen, Benjamin, Knox, Rhodes, Wyatt and Everett. (630) 289-8054.
**Due to current COVID-19 restrictions 50 people will be allowed in the funeral home and masks are required.
A beloved wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, she passed away February 17, 2021 at the age of 92. Bernita was a resident of Mt. Prospect for 55 ½ years.
Born in Moweaqua, Illinois on October 30, 1928 to Helen Ruth (Deshon) and Chaplain Jacob Claude Berry. She was the youngest of three children, sister Beverley and oldest brother Paul. She talked fondly of her childhood days and lovingly of her father, who passed away early in her teens.
In high school, Bernita was active in sports and particularly liked volleyball and basketball. She
also enjoyed the arts, music, poetry, painting, and nature. She was an alumni of Shimer College
in Mt. Carroll, IL, class of ‘46, where she studied Liberal Arts and continued painting, creating oil
and water-color paintings that still adorned her home.
From Shimer College she moved to Saint Joseph, MO with her mother and sister, where there
were many Aunts and Uncles of which she was very fond and close to. While in Saint Joseph,
Bernita met the love of her life, Leonard, not long after his return from the Philippines, having
served in the Army from 1944-1946. They fell in love and married in 1948, celebrating their last
anniversary of 50 years on April 17, 1998.
Bernita loved flowers and floristry, and was passionate about gardening. In the early ‘70s she
took a part-time job at the former Haberkamps Flowers of Mt. Prospect. She later went on to
earn a real estate license in 1978. In the early to mid ‘80s, Bernita was a devoted member of
Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington where she volunteered many hours of
service.
Over the years, Bernita bestowed her love and affection to many pets big and small. She had
many dogs including Shane, Chloe, Mindy, and be-loved JR, and cats Caesar, Bunker, Spike,
Sly, Shawna, and Smokey. She loved them all, and enjoyed all the little critters, birds, bunnies,
squirrels, fox, and butterflies that might pass through her yard.
Foremost and above everything else, the most important thing to Bernita was her family. She
was unwavering in her love and devotion as a wife, mother, grandmother, and great
grandmother. Her cheerful and tender spirit was always there to comfort, support, and
encourage them. Throughout her life Bernita was a gentle and compassionate teacher and
possessed an unobtrusive wisdom and optimism that everyone could count on. Her sacrifice
was selfless. She drew upon herself willingly, purely from the abundance of love in her heart.
Bernita was a woman of great strength, grace, virtue, faith, and courage. Her beautiful soul will
be be-loved eternally by all in her family, and treasured by many having known her.
She is the beloved wife of the late Leonard; loving mother of Mark Philip Hellerich, Claudia Helen Schmidt, Paul Leonard Hellerich and the late Kimberly Joy (Robert) Sperlazzo and Grant Berry Hellerich; cherished grandmother of Joy (Lucas) Hammer, Day (Alex) Munson, Gwynne (Tomas) Burkart, Guy (Emlee) Sperlazzo, Banner Sperlazzo and Alissa (Nick) Larsen; proud great grandmother of Briana, Cameron, Owen, Benjamin, Knox, Rhodes, Wyatt and Everett. (630) 289-8054.