Retired coach remembers the glory of yesteryear

Don Berry, a longtime resident of Olney, was husband to retired Olney High School [OHS] Principal Kay Berry, OHS principal from 1993 to 2004. Berry said Kay passed about four years ago but considered it a blessing, saying Kay wanted to go quickly in her sleep when she went to be with the Lord.

In Kay’s name, ‘The Kay Berry Memorial Scholarship,’ a scholarship set up in 2015 by Don Berry and his children, Jeff Berry, Andy Berry, Joel Berry and Amy White, to honor Kay’s memory.

In addition to serving as the OHS principal, Kay served Olney ISD as the curriculum director and test coordinator until her retirement.

Berry first moved to Olney after a request from his wife to follow her passion for becoming a principal. So, Berry said to his loving wife, find a spot to be a principal, and we will pack up and move there. Berry says he was retired after 30 years as a coach and teacher and was able to help make his wife’s wish come to fruition.

Berry started his lifelong passion for coaching and playing sports at Temple High School. Berry lettered in all four of the school’s major sports but was best at baseball and football. Berry’s talent in the two sports was good enough to land him a four-year Baylor University scholarship for baseball and football. Berry played halfback and kicker on offense and linebacker and safety on the defensive side of the ball. Berry says he was good on offense but was great as a defensive player and enjoyed it most.

Berry’s most memorable moment playing for Baylor was when he kicked the game-winning field goal against the Texas Longhorns, propelling the team to the Sugar Bowl. In addition, Berry made All-Southwest Conference in baseball during his senior year at Baylor.

Berry says, “I studied three years for business before I felt the Lord was leading me into coaching, so my senior year I changed my studies to obtain a teaching certificate and studies to be in coaching.”

Berry says he started as a coach in Lampasas, Texas as an assistant coach for four years. Berry’s first head coaching job was in McGregor, Texas.

Next, Berry went to Ennis as a first offensive and defensive coach and later took the position of head coach at Ennis and went to state the last two years he coached there. Later Berry moved to Vernon to coach for four years and ended his carrier by back at Lancaster to coach for four years and assistant principal for six years until retirement, which would bring Berry to Olney with his wife, Kay. Berry still lives in Olney and attends Cubs football games Friday nights when he is not visiting his grandchildren in Vernon. Berry closed the interview by saying two of his sons are coaches and his third is in business but wishes he was a coach. Berry said, “I guess coaching runs in the family.”