(GunReports.com) — Two shooters of note passed away recently.
LTC Joseph B. “Joe” Berry, USAR Ret., died on 6 January 2012 at Newport, Washington. LTC Berry was a member of the U. S. International Shooting Hall of Fame, an honor bestowed upon him for his exemplary service as the Team Captain of many successful USA Shooting Teams during the 1970s and 1980s.
LTC Berry was a combat veteran of two wars. His awards include the Combat Infantry Badge with star and the U.S. Army Distinguished Rifleman Badge (1956). He won the All-Army Rifle Championship in 1957 and was a firing member on the winning National Trophy Rifle Team that same year.
His marksmanship leadership assignments included service as the Director of the Continental Army Command Marksmanship Office (1962-1965), the Executive Officer of the National Board for the Promotion of Rifle Practice (1966-1967) and the Manager of the USAR Marksmanship Program (1968-1985).
His leadership resulted in the development of USAR shooting teams that were exceptionally successful in national and international competitions during that period. LTC Berry also served as the founding Executive Director of USA Shooting in 1994.
Custom gunsmith Ikey Starks passed away in December at Littleton, Colorado. Starks won the NRA National Highpower Rifle Championship in 1966. He earned the Distinguished Rifleman Badge in 1967 and won the Wimbledon Cup during the 1973 National Matches.
Starks was perhaps best known as a custom gunsmith of competition pistol and rifles that were used by several national award-winning shooters.
