William H. Berry

William Harold “Bill” Berry, a 57 year resident of the South Bay, passed away on October 13, 2023 of esophageal cancer. He was 89.

Bill spent his life following several paths including as a sailor (US Navy 1952-1960, King Harbor Yacht Club), an aerospace engineer (TRW, Hughes Aircraft, Raytheon), and for the past thirty years, as a photographer and photography teacher (South Bay Camera Club).

Bill was born and raised in Des Moines, Iowa where he was a champion swimmer and senior class president of Roosevelt High School. He attended Iowa State, Kansas University, where he earned the honor of Phi Beta Kappa, and Princeton University. He earned his Master of Science at Stanford University.  A Fulbright Scholarship took him to Hamburg, Germany where he taught mathematics and met the woman who would become his wife, Margit Baer.

The young couple soon had two children and settled in Torrance, California. As an aerospace engineer in the late 60s and 70s, he helped launch missiles and satellites, making him a real “rocket scientist”. During these years, he developed a passion for sailing and often raced sailboats along the coast of California. During his sailing days, his pride and joy were his three boats: a Cal 20, a catamaran, and his trusty sabot.

His greatest passion during his retirement was photography. Searching for the latest camera, learning from the masters, and being involved with the South Bay Camera club were his lifeblood. His favorite subject was life in his beloved South Bay, even publishing a book of his South Bay photos. Bill held photography classes, teaching everything from composition to development. When students veered too much towards technique and the “right way” to do things, Bill was always there with a reminder to have fun.

Bill enjoyed family, devoting much of his time to tracking the genealogy of the Berry family. He always told his friends that the real joys of his life were his three grandchildren.

Bill was preceded in death by his wife of 33 years, Margit Baer Berry, and is survived by his son, William J. Berry (Jillian), daughter Allison Moore (Russ), and his three grandchildren, Nikki Moore, and Mark and Don Berry.

In lieu of flowers please make a donation in his name to the American Cancer Society.

A celebration of life will be held on Thursday, October 26^th at 10:00AM at the Lighthouse Rice Center, 5310 Torrance Blvd. Torrance, CA 90503.