Educator and banking advocate George William Berry, 85, passed away on June 19 in Austin. While serving on the faculty of Texas Tech University in the 1960s, he began working as an independent consultant in economics and served as an expert witness for financial institutions in depositions, hearings and administrative cases on more than a thousand occasions.
Berry had a lifelong passion for education. He received his BBA degree from San Angelo Junior College and his MBA degree and Ph.D. from the University of Texas while serving in the U.S. Army National Guard. He served at Texas Tech University through much of the 1960s, retiring as a professor and chairman of graduate studies in the Texas Tech University School of Business (now Rawls College of Business) in 1969. Among his students were Tom Craddick, former speaker of the Texas House, and Kent Hance, chancellor emeritus of the Texas Tech University System. In 1998, Berry was honored by the endowment of the George William Berry Chair in Finance at Texas Tech University.
His memberships in professional and honorary societies included Phi Kappa Phi, the American Finance Association, American Economic Association, Southern Economic Association and American Association of University Professors, as well as civic clubs such as Toastmasters and Rotary International. He served as a director of The Austin Club and was also an officer or director of Hale County Savings, Alamo Title Holding Co., Alamo Title Insurance Co., Bank of Austin, Independent Bankers Association of Texas, CBC Inc. and Gulf States Enterprises.
Berry is survived by his wife of 62 years, Marilyn, a sister, four sons and eight grandchildren. He was predeceased by his twin brother, Alfred Milton Berry.
