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Grace Berry Lunder and Luella Berry Nickel 1984Charles Walter Berry, better known to his friends as "Charlie," was born October 19, 1874 in Pueblo, Colorado. He was the son of George and Merry Berry, both natives of Missouri. Charlie's parents had moved to Pueblo shortly before his birth. In 1895 the Berry family moved to Davenport, Oklahoma Territory, when Charlie was 21. They operated a small saw mill in the Guthrie area, and it was during this time that he met his wife, Bertha. Charlie was delivering lumber to a building site where Bertha's father was working. It seems that it was one of Bertha Wikoff's chores to take hot lunches to the carpenters. Bertha Elizabeth Wikoff Berry, is known among most of the 'old timers' in Ekalaka as the lady who ran the Berry Hospital. She was born in Adams County, Ohio, on December 23, 1876, to Hosea and Anne Belle Wikoff. The Wikoff's are descendants of French traders who came to the Ohio Territory in the late 1600's. The Wikoff family moved to Chandler, in Lincoln County, Oklahoma Territory in 1897, where they tried their hand at the cotton business. They grew cotton on the Deep Fork Bottoms, 15 miles east of Chandler. Bertha became a champion cotton picker as a young lady. A cousin once wrote, "I remember Bertha as a vivacious redhead." Charles and Bertha were married April 11, 1900 in Lincoln County, Oklahoma Territory. Charlie kept with his trade as a sawyer. Three daughters were born to them in Oklahoma: Mary Belle (Pithey), July, 1902 born in Chandler, Elva Mae (Cunningham) born May 17, 1906 on the farm at Mounds, and Grace Juanita (Lunder) born August 25, 1908 in Mounds. By 1910 most of the good saw timber was gone in Oklahoma, so Charlie and Edgar Conger went in search of saw lumber in Montana. They operated a sawmill on Staggville Gulch near Ekalaka, and at that time were still skidding logs with oxen. In 1911, Bertha and the girls joined Charlie in Ekalaka and made their home there for many years. Two more daughters were born in Ekalaka; Ethel Lucile born December 5, 1914; she died in 1917. Luella Zoe (Nickel) was born May 16, 1917. Charlie worked as the sawyer at the Lantis Saw Mill for some time. In 1925 he homesteaded northwest of Ekalaka, and the same year Bertha purchased the old Yokely property and transformed it into a maternity hospital to where a big percentage of the Ekalaka population can trace their beginnings. It was also the place where all of her grandchildren were born. Before opening the Berry Hospital, Bertha worked for Dr. Sherrill in Camp Crook, South Dakota, the summer of 1924 and took nursing by correspondence through the Chitaqua School of Nursing. She continued operating the Hospital until about the time that the present hospital was built. Charles passed away January 23, 1943, at the age of 68, in Holy Rosary Hospital, Miles City. He had been a citizen of Carter County for 32 years. Bertha lived on in Ekalaka, until her death April 29, 1954. MaryBelle Berry married Francis (Frank) Marion Pithey, September 27, 1927 in Baker, Montana. Mary Belle was a beauty operator in Ekalaka. They moved to Tenney, Minnesota where they farmed, until ill health forced them to sell. They moved to Campbell, Minnesota and ran a recreation parlor there. MaryBelle died December 7, 1972. Elva May Berry married Charles Percival Cunningham June 29, 1923. They had seven daughters: Eula Retha, Charlotte May, Gladys Louise, Bertha Jean, Bonnie Grace, Mary Zoe and Carolyn Maxine. Grace Juanita Berry Married Dave Gaehart Lunder September 29, 1924. They had two children: Donald Lee and Betty Jean (Bruski). Dave was a farmer, having spent some time in the Willard area. They farmed in the Willard, Ekalaka, Baker, and Wibaux areas. They spent of couple of years in Portland, Oregon during World War II. Dave worked in the ship yards as an electricians helper. They returned to Wibaux, where they operated George's Cafe. Later they moved to Spokane, Washington. They both worked at Lakeland Village, a home for the mentally retarded, until their retirement. Dave passed away in June of '65. Grace is still living in Spokane. She retired after 21 years of service. Luella Zoe Berry married Gerald Raymond Leischner February 3, 1933; they had one daughter, Pauline Elizabeth (Williams). Luella married Walter Schoen 1935; they had one son, Walter Dulane. Luella was involved in the horse racing business, training and racing thoroughbreds in Nebraska. Walter died in 1970 and she married Ross Nickel. They live in Van Buren, Missouri.
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