In Memoriam: Don Beery

Don Beery, who played for the Zollner Pistons in 1941-42, died last week at 96 years of age.

Biography

Obituary


DONALD PATTERSON BEERY, died on Saturday, April 2, 2016, Tucson, Ariz. Born Feb. 23, 1920, in Fort Wayne, he was a son of Roy and Anna Beery. Don attended South Side High School where he was a member of the 1938 State Basketball Championship team. Donald went on to play professional basketball as a member of the Zollner Pistons Professional Basketball Team from 1941 to 1942. In 1942, Don entered the Army. His military service during World War II included the invasion of France. He received the Silver Star with arrowhead, Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart with 2 Oak Clusters. Don returned to Zollner Corp. and had 39 years of employment, retiring in 1979. In 1987, Don and his wife Esther moved to Tucson, Ariz. Don is survived by daughters, Gail (Steve) Hobrock, Beth (Steve) Terrell of Tucson; sons, Mark Beery of Denver, Colo., John (Margaret) Beery of Carlsbad, Calif. and Paul (Susan) Beery of Indianapolis, Ind.; sister, Sue Pedigo of Fort Wayne; 10 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his wife of 65 years, Esther Renner Beery; and brothers, Robert, Richard, and William Beery (formerly all of Fort Wayne).

Published in Fort Wayne Newspapers on Apr. 17, 2016