Jack Berry: key obituary facts
Is Jack Berry dead? Yes. Jack Berry died on October 16, 2026, at age 95.
Cause of death: Jack Berry's cause of death was reported as Fall.
What was Jack Berry known for?
He was an American sports journalist.
More about Jack Berry
Born: 1931.
Gender: male.
Occupation: journalist, columnist, military personnel, writer, newspaper editor.
Nationality: United States.
Education: Detroit Catholic Central High School, Michigan State University.
Also known as: John Thomas Berry.
Known for: The Detroit News, Detroit Free Press, United Press International, Golf Writers' Association of America.
John Thomas Berry, the American sports journalist known as Jack Berry, died October 16, 2026, aged 95, from complications of a fall.
A Detroit native, he studied journalism at Michigan State University and wrote for the student newspaper, The State News, before beginning his professional career as a United Press International correspondent in Lansing. He later joined the sports staff of the Detroit Free Press and, in 1971, moved to The Detroit News, where he worked until 1993.
As the paper’s golf correspondent, Berry wrote its “Golf Page” and covered more than 70 major championships. He served as president of the Professional Hockey Writers’ Association in 1971 and was a founding board member of the Michigan Golf Hall of Fame in 1982. In 1984, he became president of the Golf Writers’ Association of America. Berry also worked to open golf coverage and competition to women: he was influential in ending the ban on female reporters in the locker room at the Masters and helped secure admission to the Michigan Women’s Amateur Championship for public-course players who met the minimum handicap. After leaving The Detroit News, he continued working as a freelancer. He died in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan.