Jerome Jesse Berry is the late father of Halle Berry, the Academy Award-winning actress. Jerome had a strained relationship with his actress daughter and the rest of the family after divorcing his wife when Halle was only four years old.
The ‘Monster’s Ball’ star revealed several times that her father was a violent alcoholic who beat her mother. Despite her father’s bad behavior, the actress shared an emotional Instagram post on Father’s Day, expressing forgiveness for his addiction and long absence from the family. Today, in this article, we will go over Jerome’s relationships as well as the circumstances surrounding his death.
Jerome Jesse Berry Biography
Halle Berry’s father was born in Clarksdale, Mississippi, in August 1934. He was Cora Lee Powell’s and Bob Berry’s son. He spent the majority of his childhood in Mississippi, where he lived with his family.
Jerome Jesse Berry Profession
Berry had served in the Air Force. He later became a bus driver and worked for Bluebird Travel Lines for several years. Moreover, Jeremoe’s future wife met his late celebrity father while working as a porter at a Cleveland psychiatric hospital.
Jerome Jesse Berry Relationship Details
Jerome’s wife was Judith Ann Hawkins. The former couple first met while working at a Cleveland psychiatric hospital. Judith was a nurse at the hospital at the time.
Hawkins is actually from Liverpool, England, and is Caucasian. Despite the fact that the lovebirds were of different races, they never got back together and took their relationship to the next level in the early 1960s.
Jerome and Judith started a family a few years after their marriage, welcoming their first daughter, Heidi Berry-Henderson, in October 1964. Hawkings gave birth to their second child, a daughter Halle Berry, in August 1966, making them parents for the second time.
For years, the two were in a blissful marital relationship before things began to deteriorate in the late 1960s.
Jerome Jesse Berry’s Relationship With His Daughters After Divorce
After approximately eight years of marriage, Jerome and Judith divorced in 1970. Although neither party revealed the exact reason for their divorce, their daughter Halle believes it was Jerome’s abusive behavior toward his wife.
According to the award-winning actress,
“‘I saw my mother being beaten and was powerless to intervene.” My father was a tyrant, lashing out at her for no apparent reason. I felt the effects on our family – I’ve been through what these women have gone through.”
Furthermore, Halle revealed in an interview with host James Lipton that her late father never abused her but had beaten her big sista several times. She stated,
“The difficult part for me was that he never abused me.” I was filled with remorse after witnessing my sister’s horrific beatings.
Halle continued,
“I felt helpless and like a coward because I couldn’t and didn’t do anything.” I spent many of my early years trying to make sense of it all, recover, and regain my self-esteem.”
Berry stated, without remorse, in 1992 that her father had been absent from her life since his divorce from her mother. “I haven’t heard from him since,” she said. In addition, the Hollywood star stated,
“Perhaps he’s not alive.”
Following their divorce, their mother raised both Halle and her older sister Heidi as a loving single parent.
Although Halle was unable to reconcile with her father prior to his death, it appears that the actress now understands the fatherly love. On Father’s Day in June 2019, Halle shared a rare photo of her father with a lengthy poignant caption. She penned,
“On this Father’s Day, my heart is overflowing with love for my DADDY!” This is one of only two photographs I have of him, and it has become family lore! While I didn’t have much of a relationship with him while he was here because he was addicted to alcohol and that addiction robbed us of the relationship we were meant to have, I now realize how much he loved me and how important he was and is to my life!”
Berry went on,
“I miss you today, daddy, and I know you’re smiling down on me from wherever you are because I feel your love!” #HappyFathersDay to the wonderful fathers in my life, Olive and Gabe, and to EVERY father out there!”
How Did Jerome Jesse Berry Pass Away?
In January 2003, the former African American hospital attendant died at Euclid General Hospital in Euclid, Ohio. When it comes to the cause of his death, Jerome succumbed to Parkinson’s disease. At the time, he was 68 years old. He was laid to rest in Cleveland Memorial Gardens in Cuyahoga County, Ohio.
Jerome Jesse Berry Had A Daughter From Previous Marriage
Jerome was in a relationship with Edwina Taylor before meeting Halle Berry’s mother, Judith Ann Hawkins. During the 1960s, the ex-couple dated for several years. Renee Berry, their daughter, was also born. Besides, Renne had a long-standing friendship with Halle. However, they have not been on good terms for several years.
Jerome Jesse Berry’s Net Worth
The exact value of Jerome’s fortune was never revealed. However, when it comes to his daughter Halle Berry’s fortune, the actress was estimated to be worth $80 million. She amassed the massive sum referred to above as a result of her successful acting career. She has already appeared in a number of classic films, including Introducing Dorothy Dandridge, Monster’s Ball, X-Men: The Last Stand, and others.
