Extracted from The Valley Morning Star (Harlingen, TX)
Wednesday, February 25, 1970

Pioneer Valley Developer Dies

Another chapter in the Valley's history came to a close Tuesday with the death of Sidney David (Sid) Berly, 73, developer of the expensive Adams Gardens properties in Western Cameron County and one of the early day boosters of the Valley's citrus producing potential.

He died at 7:15 a.m. after a lengthy illness. He lived at 701 E. Taylor.

Mr. Berly came to the Valley in 1925 and carved a name for himself out of the region's fertile brushlands as a developer, as he also did in the then blossoming areas of Coral Gables, Fla. and San Antonio, Tex.

It was in 1937 that he formed his Adams Gardens Inc. and began developing thousands of areas of brushland which was to become some of the richest and most productive farm and orchard plots in Cameron County and the Valley.

Through the years he never lost touch with one of his first Valley loves -- citrus, and he liked to be recognized as a grove owner. At the time of his death he was a member of the Lake Delta Citrus Cooperative.

Mr. Berly was born in Natchitoches, La. In each area of his land development operations, he took part in civic endeavor and a pride in the community. He was a member of the board of directors of the Harlingen Chamber of Commerce from 1940 to 1945, and was president of the chamber in 1946-47.

Funeral services will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday in the Kreidler-Ashcraft Chapel in Harlingen, with Dr. Lowell Ryan, pastor of the First United Methodist Church, officiating. Burial will be in Restlawn Memorial Park.

Pallbearers will be Brad Crockett, Dr. Tommy Williams, Wayne French, Floyd Clark, W. B. Mack, Bud Breedlove, John Abbott and Lloyd Yarbrough.

Honorary pallbearers will be the officers and directors of the First National Bank of Harlingen, the officers and directors of the Lake Delta Citrus Cooperative and the stewards of the First United Methodist Church of Harlingen.

Mr. Berly's survivors include his widow, Mrs. Marion Berly and a daughter, Mrs. Betty Rogers, both of Harlingen; a grandson, Jim Rogers of Washington, D.C., and a granddaughter, Mrs. [Chickie?] Rogers Bonner, also of Harlingen.