Newspaper Article 2008 – Farewelling a man of letters

OBITUARY

Farewelling a man of letters

Maurice Allan Berry
30.12.1927 – 5.10.2008

Maurice Berry, gentleman and man of words, who died earlier this month in his 81st year, would likely to have disapproved of this obituary were he able to use his considerable literary skills to edit it.

For as a former journalist, sub-editor and editor he took the stance of “never use two words when one will do”.

Mr Berry, who was editor of Napier’s Daily Telegraph between 1978 and 1982, loved the printed word and all his life ensured he was up with local, national and international news.

As his daughter Fiona said, “there was always a large pile of newspapers at our house – he read at least two newspapers cover to cover every day”.

Even near the end of his life his thirst for news and of the news business was undimmed.

Fiona and the family were with him as he lay semi- conscious and had not spoken a word during the day.

“When I asked him, as it was nearing six o’clock, if he would like to watch the news, lo and behold he replied with a very firm ‘yes’.”

Mr Berry was described by family members as an “amazing” letter writer.

He was also devoted to music, with the eldest of his three daughters, Jeanette, saying music was an important part of family life.

The girls all learned piano and took up various instruments, and with their father on cello, and mother Helen singing, it was quite a family orchestra.

Maurice Berry was born in Wellington in 1927, but his frail condition meant he could not be taken home until he was almost one. He made up for lost time and thrived during his boyhood, swimming and playing sport.

Like his brothers, his personable and caring nature emerged at a young age and he often invited people new to the area to the family’s Hataitai home for dinner.

The Methodist Church became a strong part of his life, and it was at a Methodist Bible class camp in 1953 that he met Helen Johnston – who he would marry.

He pursued journalism while at Victoria University, starting out with The Dominion in 1946, and several years later, after finishing runner-up in a journalism award, he was approached by the Melbourne Sun and offered a job.

He took it, and in 1954, after marrying Helen, headed across the Tasman.

A couple of years later he returned to take up a job with the Manawatu Evening Standard before heading to work on the Auckland Star as a sub-editor in 1957.

Former colleague and long-time friend Ian Harris said the job was demanding and exhausting, yet Mr Berry handled it with quiet aplomb.

He left the Star in 1975 and returned to Wellington to edit Straight Furrow magazine for Federated Farmers. He also had a major hand in the publication of The New Zealand Methodist.

In 1978 he took up the post of editor at the Daily Telegraph.

A heart attack five years later saw him forced to step back, although he continued to work on the paper’s weekly giveaway magazine until retiring in 1989.

Through those years he passed on his love of words to his children, who have many memories of him. Jeanette said: “The most vivid are memories of dad reading us stories before going to bed at night.

“When we lost a tooth we would not only receive money, but beautiful letters from the fairies that had beautiful stars and sparkles all through the writing. We thought we were the luckiest girls alive when we got those letters.”

Mr Berry was an accomplished musician and enjoyed singing.

Daughter Fiona recalled seeing her father singing in Elijah at the Auckland Town Hall.

“I’ll never forget the pleasure that shone from his face when he sang.”

A man of humility, morals, and values – his favourite cheerfully sweet comments were those of “well I never”, “oh mercy”, “what a duffer!” and “laddie”.

Daughter Diana said: “Although he was a man of principles – definite and unwavering about many – he was on the other hand open to new ideas.

He was an original thinker at times with his own innovative ideas, particularly pertaining to his career.”

In recent years his health deteriorated, but he maintained his joy for life, family, music, chess, the church and, of course, journalism.

A quote he would use sometimes, from Winston Churchill, typified him – “Success is not final, failure is not fatal, it is the courage to continue that counts.”

He is survived by wife Helen and daughters Fiona, Diana and Jeanette.

“Far too many words,” is what Mr Berry would have told me had he been called upon to sub a piece like this.

But it was Mr Berry who opened the door to my career in journalism.

In 1978, while working as a labourer, I wrote a road test of a borrowed motorcycle and sent it to him – asking for the Daily Telegraph to consider running a regular bike test in the motoring pages. He replied that that “yes” he would like to run my work on a freelance basis as I appeared to have some idea of how to jot words down.

He encouraged me to hone my writing skills and some years later I was approached by his successor, Ken Hawker, and offered a position as a rookie reporter… at the age of 28.

– Roger Moroney