Janet Sue (Courtney) Berry, 69, Butler, MO, passed away peacefully Friday, November 8, 2019 at the home of Jeff and Amy and surrounded by her loved ones.  Janet had fought a brave battle against not one, but two chronic illnesses, heart disease and COPD.  Funeral services were held Friday, November 15, 2019 at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Adrian, MO with burial in Crescent Hill Cemetery in Adrian.  Visitation was held Thursday, November 14, at the Atkinson Funeral Home in Adrian.

Janet was born December 20, 1949 in Edmond OK, the third born of four daughters of Thomas F. Courtney and Grace L (Watson) Courtney.  Within a couple of years her parents moved to this area, finally settling in a little town of Ballard, MO, where she attended Ballard school and graduated in 1967.  In 1970 she married Larry Keith Berry, Sr.  Their first born son, Robert Dale Berry, Janet miscarried just weeks before his due date.  Also from this union came three more children, Kristi M Berry, Larry K. Berry, Jr. (Duke), and Jeffrey Wayne Berry.

By 1977 found Janet living in an old rock house on a dead-end road just north east of Ballard, where she lived and raised her three children by herself.  Many of their fondest memories are from that time period of their lives.  Later in 1983 the family uprooted and moved to Adrian, MO.  In 1986, she met Alan Huckaby and they lived together for the next 14 years.

Tragedy struck the Berry family when a house fire ripped through their house at 224 West Main one early February morning in 2000, destroying pictures, family mementos and basically everything they owned, and her and Alan's relationship.  Later that same year she met Tommy Wolford, who would remain her significant other until her death.  Janet and Tommy moved back to Ballard to her childhood home and the same property her parents had bought when they had moved from Oklahoma in 1951.

Janet was an amazing woman and the best mother anyone could ask for.  She sacrificed a lot of things to raise her children and we never did hear her complain.  She never judged anyone for anything and never turned her back on anyone in need.  To sum her up the best, just the day before her death, her two sons and other family members stood around in her room while the minister came in to pray for her, the minister asked, "Janet, if you had one prayer request what would you pray for?"  She looked around the room and answered, "My family, pray for my family."  Not a word was spoken until my brother Duke said to the preacher "No, pray for my mom."  That tells you what type of person she was.  She knew she hadn't long on this earth and instead of praying for herself, she asked for her family.  This world lost one of its best Friday evening and she will be missed by the many people whose lives she touched.

Janet was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Larry K Berry, Sr., a son Robert Dale Berry and two sisters, Carol and Judy.  She is survived by one daughter, Kristi M. Berry, Adrian, MO; two sons, Larry K. Berry, Jr. Warrensburg, MO and Jeffrey Wayne Berry and his significant other, Amy, of rural Butler, MO; her significant other, Tommy Wolford, Butler; three grandchildren, Dustin D. Perkins, Warrensburg, Robert Briar Berry, Adrian and Kanyon Sarie Berry, Springfield, MO; two great-grandchildren; a sister,  Donna (Courtney) Fetterolf, Lees Summit, MO, and many other nieces and nephews.