TTCA Mourns the Passing of Marty Berryman

 October 1954 - November 2022

He was born October 11, 1954 in San Diego, California, to Carmack and Shirley Berryman. Marty attended Kearney High School, then moved to Texas, lived with his brother Carmack, and graduated from South Grand Prairie High School. He attended San Diego City College, transferred to East Texas State University in Commerce and received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. Coming from a family of tennis coaches, he began his long and successful career.

He started in 1977 at Terrell High School. In 1980 he took over as head tennis coach at Plano Senior High School. During his tenure at both high schools his teams won numerous district, regional, and state championships. Sharon and Marty were both high school tennis coaches and met in 1983 at Newk’s Tennis Ranch in New Braunfels, TX. They were married in 1985 and in 2022 celebrated 37 years of great teamwork and wonderful adventures together. Tennis tournaments, road trips, and fishing/camping excursions to Marty’s Fish Camp (MFC), his retirement dream, to fish for rainbow trout in the Blue River were regular activities these last few years. In January 1989 he was named the founding coach of the Collin College Tennis Program where he was for over 33 years. During his tenure at Collin, he always went the extra mile in shaping young athletes lives in so many ways, consistently emphasizing the importance of academics, character, and hard work in all aspects of life. The Collin tennis program has a reputation of excellence that has made a mark in NJCAA sporting history. He always combined local and international talent together, while never wavering on academic behavior expectations for his players. He had players from over 30 countries. The fact that so many of his alumni have stayed connected with him after moving into a new life phase is a direct correlation to the impact he has had on so many people.

Marty’s teams hosted a fall session of tennis instruction for Special Olympians beginning in 2003 and lasting for 16 years. This was a highlight for him and the Cougar Tennis Team and everyone looked forward to these very special evenings and watching the improvement of each of the players and the fun that they had through the program.

He was preceded in death by his father, Alvis Carmack Berryman, of San Diego, CA.

His mother, Shirley Berryman, lives in San Diego, CA and will be celebrating her 100th birthday in January.

He is survived by his wife, Sharon Berryman of Lucas, TX; son Matthew Berryman of Lubbock, TX; Son Michael Berryman and his mother, Vanessa Berryman, of Grandview, TX; grandson Jace Berryman of Grandview, TX; brother Carmack Berryman (wife Rose) of Waco, TX; brother Lawrence Berryman of San Diego, CA; sister Cheryl Olivier (husband Ken) of Spring, TX; brother in law Steve Scurlock of Gladewater, TX; niece Sherry Threadgill (husband Chip) of Cypress, TX; niece Emily Olivier of Houston, TX; niece Kathryn Lyon (husband Jason) of Austin; and niece Sarah Kendrick (husband Locke) of Waco.

He leaves behind his furry friends Sandi Patti (cat), Romeo (horse), and his beloved rescue donkeys George and Oscar.

A celebration of Marty’s life will be held on Saturday, Jan. 7, 11 a.m., at First United Methodist Church Plano (3160 East Spring Creek Parkway, Plano TX, 75074). The service will also be live-streamed; a link will be available two days before Marty’s service at www.fumcplano.org.

In honor of Marty (Coach Berryman) and his love for the outdoors/fishing, and the Collin College Tennis program please feel free to dress casually in jeans or khakis and wear your best fishing/outdoor or Collin College tennis shirt the day of the memorial service.

Donations can be made in Marty Berryman’s memory to Kimberly Reitmajer (3 Glencove Circle, Lucas TX 75002). Your donation will go towards a memorial at the Allen Senior Recreation Center which was such a large piece of Marty’s life these last two years and brought him much joy. A scholarship in his memory at Collin College is in the planning stages.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.lakeviewfh.com for the Berryman family.