Norfolk City Virginia USGenWeb Archives Obituaries.....Berry, Buena Vista Kelley March 30, 1990
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Diane Renfrow dianel14@gmail.com March 18, 2013, 9:22 am

Virginian-Pilot, The (Norfolk, VA) - Monday, April 2, 1990 
Buena Vista Kelley Berry, who served as observer at the founding of the United
Nations in San Francisco in 1948 and was a former secretary for the Improved
Benevolent Protective Order Elks of the World, died March 30, 1990, in a
hospital. She was 95.

Mrs. Berry, who lived in the 400 block of Leepoint Road, was known for helping
thousands of women find a better way of life. In December 1932, she was
appointed as grand daughter secretary for the Improved Benevolent Protective
Order of Elks of the World. She succeeded her mother, Emma V. Kelley, who was
the founder of the organization, after her mother's death. Mrs. Berry served in
this position until December 1987.

Known as Daughter Kelley, she received many honors during her 55-year tenure.
During the World's Fair in 1939, she was honored as one of the Outstanding Black
Women in America by the National Council of Negro Women and received the Omega
Psi Phi Award as Most Outstanding Citizen in 1940. In 1950, she was listed as
one of the most Outstanding Black Women of America in Who's Who in Colored
America. She was honored as organizer and first president of the Women's
Auxiliary of Norfolk Community Hospital. She was also an official guest of the
Bahamian Government upon their independence in 1973.

She was educated at Grace Episcopal School and St. Paul College in
Lawrenceville, Va. She received an honorary degree, Doctor of Laws, from
Monrovia College and Industrial Institute, Monrovia, Africa. She also was
awarded the Honorary Doctor of Humanities from Shaw University in Raleigh.

A native of Barretts Neck, Va. and the widow of LeRoy Berry, she was a member of
Queen Street Baptist Church since 1905, where she served as trustee. She was a
member of the National Council of Negro Women, the Young Women's Christian
Association and the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People.
She also was a member of the Daughters of Elks, Norfolk Temple 1A, Baptist
Women's Missionary and Education Department, Order of the Eastern Star, Wheaton
Chapter 73 and Iota Phi Lamda Sorority.

She is survived by several cousins.

The funeral will be held at noon Wednesday in Queen Street Baptist Church.
Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery . The body will be placed in the church at 10
a.m. Wednesday. A memorial service with fraternal rites will be held at 6 p.m.
Tuesday. Friends may join the family at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in the church.
Prelow Funeral Home is handling arrangements. 

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