Aurora Marie Berryman, a longtime businesswoman and member of a
pioneer Gilroy farming family, died unexpectedly of a heart attack
Monday, Jan. 13 at Saint Louise Hospital.
Aurora Marie Berryman, a longtime businesswoman and member of a pioneer Gilroy farming family, died unexpectedly of a heart attack Monday, Jan. 13 at Saint Louise Hospital. She was 85.
Mrs. Berryman suffered chest pains after attending the Stars on Ice ice skating event with her children Sunday night.
For many years, Mrs. Berryman was a Realtor in Gilroy, and served as president of both the San Jose and South County real estate boards.
Mrs. Berryman was born Nov. 15, 1917 in Cambria to Joseph and Pia “Rosie” Pacciorini, Swiss immigrants. In the early 1920s, the family settled permanently on a prune farm on Monterey Highway north of Gilroy.
Mrs. Berryman graduated from St. Mary’s Parochial School and Gilroy High School. She became a licensed beautician and owned her own shops for many years in Monterey and North Hollywood.
She became a real estate broker and later in life, a travel agent.
In addition to her leadership on the real estate boards, Mrs. Berryman was a board member of the California Association of Realtors, the Farm and Land Brokers and the Business and Professional Women’s Club. She was also a past national and local chapter president of the Women’s Council of Realtors.
She was also active in and a board member of the Gilroy Chamber of Commerce and a Garlic Festival volunteer. She helped her children as a Blue Bird, Girl Scout, Campfire Girl and 4-H leader.
She enjoyed painting, stained glass and traveling to the Far East and especially to Switzerland to see her relatives.
She was preceded in death by her parents and brothers, Albert P. and Charles M. Pacciorini.
She is survived by her son, Arthur C. “Trip” Berryman III of Morgan Hill and her daughter, Pia Ann Berryman of Gilroy; grandchildren, Bonnie Berryman of Portland, Ore. and Brooke Berryman of Sherwood, Ore.; nephews Albert Pacciorini of Hercules, John Pacciorini of Santa Clara and Michael Pacciorini of Long Beach; niece Sue Pacciorini of Davis; her sister in law, Elvira “Squeak” Pacciorini of Gilroy and her cousins, Norma and Bill Wilson of Gilroy, Pinky and Pat Tognetti of Gilroy; Walter and Ellen Rossi of Salinas; Hector Picchetti of Cupertino; and Mario and Jerre Picchetti of Hollister.
Vigil services will be today at 7 p.m. at Habing Family Funeral Home, 129 Fourth St., Gilroy. Funeral Services will begin at the funeral home at 9:30 a.m. Friday and then proceed to St. Mary Church, 11 First St., Gilroy, for a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. Burial will follow at St. Mary Cemetery, Gilroy.
The family prefers memorials be donations to St. Mary School, 7900 Church St., Gilroy, or a charity of your choice in her memory.
