Dean Wilson Berry, Jr., age 85, resident of Collierville, Tennessee, died on Tuesday, Oct. 13, 2026. Founder of BTA member Memphis Communications Corp. (MCC), Berry leaves behind a legacy woven through generations, grounded in the sovereignty of God. A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 7, 2026, at Collierville First Baptist Church. The family will receive friends from 9:30 to 10:15 a.m. A reception for family and friends will follow.

Berry was born June 3, 1941 in Indianapolis, Indiana, the third of eight children, born to Dean Sr. and Helen Berry. He was a man whose life was defined by his faith in Jesus Christ, love for his family, lifelong passion for music and an entrepreneurial spirit. The seeds of the most significant pursuits of his life were sown in his childhood. He received the truth of the gospel at age seven, accepting Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. That decision became the foundation upon which he built his life, family and business.

His entrepreneurial journey began at just nine years old when he became a newspaper delivery boy for the Indianapolis Star, with a route that grew to a record-setting 200-plus customers by the time he was 12. At 13, he worked at the Westside Drive-In Theater, managed by his cousin, Ralph Kessler. In addition to growing a powerful work ethic as a child, Berry also learned to play the trumpet in the sixth grade, which became a lifelong passion. 

While in high school, he played in the concert band and stage band at Ben Davis High School, earning numerous awards. Berry's musical talents were called upon for special occasions throughout the community. He often played Taps for veterans' funerals and the National Anthem for varsity basketball games, including the county tournament finals held at the Butler Field house, now known as the Hinkle Field house. In 1958, Berry purchased a big band music library from a family friend and formed a dance band called The Continentals. By booking events, he found a way to turn his love of music into another source of income. 

Beyond music, Berry played both baseball and football for Ben Davis High School. He graduated in 1958 and later attended classes at the Indiana University Extension, now part of Indiana University Indianapolis. 

He married his high school sweetheart, Sandra Sue Allen, in 1959, beginning a 39-year marriage and a family that would grow to include five boys and three girls. Together, they built a home centered on faith, family, hard work and a commitment to serving others. 

Berry’s work endeavors extended far beyond that local paper route of his childhood to many other jobs in his young adult life. He was a manager of the men and children’s department at Thom McAn shoe store in Indianapolis, and sold Saladmaster stainless steel cookware door to door. 

In 1962, Berry accepted a sales position with Bell and Howell, a Fortune 100 company, in Chicago, Illinois. At just 23 years old, he became the youngest sales manager in Bell and Howell’s history, rising to sales training manager, manager of personnel development, national sales manager and director of dealer sales. After a decade of developing training materials and leading thousands of seminars, Berry felt God leading him to establish his own business, helping others to communicate in unique ways. At age 30, he began pursuing his vision of building a company where honoring the Lord, investing in people and treating work as a mission field were central to its culture. He embraced the principle of "business as a mission" before it became a familiar expression. After much prayer and research, Berry chose Memphis, Tennessee, in 1972 as the ideal place to establish his business and raise his family. He called that business Memphis Communications Corp. (MCC). 

He took great joy in training men and women, developing their talents, and building a business that contributed to the local economy while helping people to support their families. His success was measured not only by what the business accomplished, but also by the lives it touched and the people it helped along the way. His leadership and contributions were recognized locally as a recipient of the Memphis Business Journal Small Business of the Year Award in 1988, along with numerous industry-wide office dealership awards throughout the years. 

All of Berry's children spent years working at MCC in various capacities. It became a family rite of passage to learn the ropes of small business from him with his on-the-job family training. Since its founding, Berry's idea has grown into a company that has served thousands of customers, supported generations of employees and reached far beyond Memphis. Berry retired from the helm in 2011, selling the business to sons Shane and Scot Berry, who have expanded Berry's mission to deliver top-tier products and services to help businesses optimize their operations. 

While he worshiped in many Christian congregations throughout his lifetime, Berry was most involved at First Evangelical Church while raising his children, serving as a deacon, elder and teaching a young professionals Sunday School class for many years. Most importantly, Berry and Sandy discipled their eight children in the Lord, writing their own Bible Study curriculum for their family, and setting aside family time each week to discuss God’s Word and its application to their daily lives. The spiritual foundation he and Sandy established continues through their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren. 

During their Germantown years, the Berrys opened their home up to countless neighbors, church, school and business gatherings. He coached dozens of recreational youth sports teams and was an active supporter of the Germantown schools that his children attended. He loved spending time at Greers Ferry Lake, long Scrabble games (which he always won), chocolate chip cookies and working on his custom model train layout with his brother, Don. He took great joy in sharing the things that delighted his heart with his family. 

His love of family and music came together in a remarkable way through his formation of The Berry Family Band, celebrated as the world’s only big band consisting of one family. The memories created through decades of rehearsal, performances and family collaboration remain an enduring part of his legacy. Over the years, the band became a beloved fixture at local events throughout the Memphis area, performing at the Pink Palace Crafts Fair, Libertyland, Germantown Fourth of July Spectacular, wedding receptions, school functions and numerous other church and community gatherings. 

Their unique family story and musical talent attracted attention from local and national news outlets throughout the 1980s and 1990s, most notably a live performance on the CBS Morning News on Thanksgiving Day 1984, anchored by Bill Kurtis and Phyllis George. The band’s accomplishments included the Southern Region Amateur Musical Family of the Year Award in 1980 and recognition from the United Music Heritage Inc. Music Pioneer Awards in 1998. The Berry Family Band was ultimately a celebration of family, a living example of music’s unifying influence over generations. 

One of Berry's most courageous and sacrificial demonstrations of love was caring for Sandy during numerous health struggles throughout their marriage. She died on Nov. 19, 1998. 

After Sandy's passing, Berry met and married Mary Wyse. He often shared that he was exceptionally blessed to have found another "angel" to love and to share his life with. Mary shared: "I was looking for a job, but found more as I unexpectedly met a godly man who became the love of my life." She admired his strong faith and his godly business practices, and that he was a man who prayed and read his Bible daily and guided his family according to God’s word. Mary was quick to say that he was not stuffy, but had a great sense of humor with a lot of energy and always had a song in his heart. She was grateful that he became a dad, mentor and encourager to her three daughters, their husbands and seven grandchildren. Together, Berry and Mary have enjoyed years of shared work and travel, while also encouraging and guiding their ever-growing combined family. 

Dean joins his late wife, Sandy, in Christ’s presence. He is also preceded in death by his parents, Dean Sr. and Helen Berry; his son Sean Berry; his sister, Helen McSchooler; sister-in-law Janet Berry; brother-in-laws Walter Eidson, Don Scott, Leroy McSchooler and William "Bill" Detmer. 

Berry is survived by his wife of 27 years, Mary Berry. He also leaves to cherish his memory his children Shannan (Dr. Tommy) Kiedis, of Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Shane (Linda) Berry of Collierville, Tennessee, Scot (Dedee) Berry of Germantown, Tennessee, Shell (Laurie) Berry of Bartlett, Tennessee, Sean’s wife, Ronda Berry of Bartlett, Tennessee, Stacy (Mark) Loftis, Germantown, Tennessee, Steffeny (Brad) Sheals of Collierville, Tennessee and Shad (Veronica) Berry of Germantown, Tennessee, along with Mary’s daughters, Renee (Mark) Irvan of Bartlett, Rechelle (Darrell) Simpson of Memphis, Tennessee, and Robin (Mark) Wood of Bartlett. He is also survived by his sisters Pat Eidson, Jackie Scott, Diane Detmer, Debbie (Ronnie) Kirk, Denise Berry, and brother Don Berry, as well as many nieces and nephews. 

Through Berry and Mary's blended family, he leaves behind an extraordinary legacy of 40 grandchildren and 39 great-grandchildren — generations of family who carry forward the values, memories, faith and love he helped instill. 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be directed to:

TWENTY:7 Men’s Ministry of Life Choices of Memphis
5575 Raleigh-Lagrange
Memphis, TN 38134
lifechoicesmemphis.org

The Gideons - Shelby East Camp
P.O. Box 38156
Germantown, TN 38138-0156

Berry's friends and family will remember him as a man firmly anchored in the promise of the gospel; a devoted husband, loving brother, committed father, grandfather and great-grandfather; and an innovative problem-solver, mentor and respected leader.

While his earthly journey is now complete, his life continues to point to his one great Hope: everlasting life through Christ. Those who love him take comfort in knowing that his story does not end here.