April 3, 2024
Berry, Susan Bickford, 81, of Hingham, Massachusetts died peacefully at her home on Thursday, March 28,2024, surrounded by her family following a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease.
Suky (as she was known to many), was born in Weymouth, Massachusetts on July 23,1942 to Eugene E. Bickford and Mildred W Bickford and grew up in her beloved town of Hingham where she raised her family. In 1962 she married her high school sweetheart Charles W Berry, of Hingham. They were happily married for 62 years.
In addition to her husband Suky is survived by her four siblings Peter B Bickford and Thomas Bickford of Hingham, Richard W. Bickford of Marstons Mills, Massachusetts and R. Janet Bickford of Danbury, CT, her three children: Lisa B. Murray and husband Chuck of Yarmouth, Maine, Jennifer B Haggerty and husband Mike of Hingham and C.Matthew Berry and wife Liz of Marshfield, Massachusetts. Suky is also survived by eight grandchildren: Maxwell Murray, Molly Haggerty, Matthew Haggerty, Isabelle Murray, Lizzy Haggerty, Margaret Berry, Charles Berry and Thomas Berry.
Suky’s love for the town of Hingham stems from her ancestors who were among the earliest settlers who came from Hingham, England in the 1630’s. She followed her mother and maternal grandfather serving on the Hingham Conservation Commission and also the Hingham Historic Districts Commission and the Community Preservation Commission.
After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts cum laude in Extension Studies from Harvard College, Suky earned her masters degree in social work from Simmons College and then spent several years as a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Boston working in early intervention helping inner city families and children.
A hallmark of Suky’s life was helping others, with special attention to underdogs, often going beyond the call to help out underprivileged families.
As the oldest of five children, she took naturally to the task of matriarch to her four siblings. She was a devoted and much beloved mother and grandmother to her three children and eight grandchildren.
With a quick wit and friendly smile she was known to take a long time to complete a circuit of the Fruit Center. A lifelong animal lover, Suky couldn’t stand to see an animal suffer. Once during a trip to the BVI she took a dog with a broken leg to a local veterinarian for treatment. Soon the dog was back on the street with its leg in a cast much to the surprise of its owner.
Gardening was one of her favorite pastimes and Charlie tried in vain to get her to look first at the available space before heading to the garden center to fill up her car. Suky and Charlie shared a love of sailing which they enjoyed for several years in the Caribbean in winter and on the New England coast in the summer. Nothing pleased Suky more than spending time with her grandchildren, especially in Spruce Head Maine.
A celebration of Suky’s life is planned for 11:00 AM on Friday, April 19,2024 at the Parish of Saint John the Evangelist at, 172 Main Street, Hingham. Burial will be private. For more information and online guestbook go to www.downingchapel.com