Elaine Marie Berry

Elaine Marie Berry, 84, of Naples, FL, died on September 28, 2024, at the Frances Georgeson Hospice House after a brief illness. Formerly of Rochester, NH, she had been a resident of Naples since 1999. She was born in Pueblo, CO a daughter of the late John and Mae Colacino. After graduating from college in Colorado, Elaine became a reading specialist and then a kindergarten teacher at Maple Street School in Rochester. She would spend more than 30 years teaching and serving as the principal at the school. Elaine was an artist. She was a painter, a pianist, and an interior designer and painted silk scarves that she sold at markets in Florida. She was a singer and a dancer, a creator of art, whether it was her amazing handmade greeting cards or flower arrangements, she had an eye for beauty and the talent to create and share it with others. She was passionate about cooking, especially Italian and Mexican dishes. Her stand-alone traditional Italian red sauce was well-known around the neighborhood. Elaine’s finest works of art were her husband, Bob; son, Shay; daughter-in-law “Misti,” sisters-in-law; nieces and nephews; and the countless lives she nurtured and changed as an educator. Her students will remember her playing the piano and leading them in songs that brought joy to the classroom and made learning fun. She was very proud of the playground she helped build at Maple Street. She taught with her heart and was light years ahead of her time as an educator and administrator. She was preceded in death by her parents, her husband, Robert H. Berry, her brother, John Colacino, and her sister-in-law, Anita Philbin. She is survived by her son, Shay Robert Berry, and her daughter-in-law, Eleanor Martin Berry of Sharon, VT; her niece, Wendy Cockerell (Buster) of Dublin, TX; sister-in-law, Alice Cartier (Rod) of Ocala, FL; nephew, Allard Baird (Julie) of Miami, FL, niece, Vicky Tracy (Blair) of Wasilla, AK; niece, Michelle Mealy of Indianapolis, IN, niece, Monique Cooney (Mike) of Manhattan Beach, CA and 4 grand nieces, Alexa Mealy of Indianapolis, IN, Kaitlyn Cooney of Santa Monica, CA, Kristen Cooney of Santa Monica, CA and Kendall Cooney of Berkeley, CA and 5 grand nephews, John Paul Cockerell, Matthew Cockerell, Justin Cockerell of Dublin, TX and Troy Tracy of San Diego, CA and Zack Tracy of Aumsville, OR, Elaine has requested no flowers, but please consider donating to Maple Street Magnet School, C/O SAU 54 150 Wakefield Street, Suite 8, Rochester, NH 03867, in her honor. Services for Elaine will be held at 11:00 AM on Saturday, October 12, at the Holy Rosary Cemetery, 133 Brock Street in Rochester, NH. A Celebration of Life luncheon will follow at 12:00 PM at the Rolland Estate at the Governor’s Inn, 78 Wakefield Street, Rochester, NH. Elaine encourages all to wear white or bright colors to her celebration of life service. To sign her guest register or to leave online condolences, please visit www.ShikanyFuneralHome.com. Arrangements are being handled by Shikany’s Bonita Funeral Home Family Owned and Operated Since 1978.

Elaine Marie Berry

March 10, 1940 - September 28, 2024