The community doctor: ATSU-KCOM alum donates $1 million
Posted: October 6, 2026
For decades, Andrew Berry, DO, ’55, had planned to leave a gift to ATSU in his estate. But recently, he began to think differently about his legacy. Rather than planning for what his generosity would accomplish, he wanted to see the outcome for himself.
The result of his decision – a $1 million gift to ATSU – was a significant investment in the university he credits with giving him the foundation for a career he loved.
“Everything I have is because of what I learned in Kirksville,” he says.
A boy from Detroit
Dr. Andrew Berry (second from left) served on the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association (KOAA) executive board in 1967. He then served as KOAA president in 1970.
Museum of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, Missouri [1998.57.241]
Dr. Andrew Berry’s graduation photo from the 1955 Osteoblast yearbook. Museum of Osteopathic Medicine, Kirksville, Missouri
Dr. Andrew Berry holds one of his children outside of his medical practice in Commerce Township, Michigan.
Long before he stepped foot in Kirksville, Missouri, Dr. Berry understood the importance of education and the value of hard work. He grew up in the bustling city of Detroit near the old state fairgrounds and rode the streetcar to and from school every day. He also worked a paper route for several years, which helped him earn money to put toward his education.
Eventually, Dr. Berry attended Cass Technical High School, a selective public school where students were required to pass an entrance examination, and then the University of Michigan for his undergraduate studies. Although he wasn’t sure what career he wanted to pursue, he knew he wanted to do something involving biological sciences.
His family physician was a doctor of osteopathic medicine (DO), which led him to consider osteopathic medical education. At the time, only about six DO schools were established across the U.S. He applied to a few of them, but ATSU-KCOM was the first to accept him. So, he left the University of Michigan early and headed to Missouri. This decision would shape the rest of his life.
Community-oriented care
After graduating from what is now ATSU’s Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine (ATSU-KCOM) in 1955, Dr. Berry returned to Michigan and completed a one-year internship at Detroit Osteopathic Hospital. While deciding where to set up his family practice, he found the small community of Commerce Township, which had a population of about 10,000. A house across from the local fire station was for sale, so he decided to make it his office – and his home. Dr. Berry and his family lived upstairs, and his medical practice was downstairs.
What began as a small family practice became the center of a 56-year career. Dr. Berry cared for generations of families in that location until he retired. His five children grew up around the practice and eventually worked there, helping at the front desk and as the maintenance crew. One of his daughters, Betsy, eventually became his office manager.
As the community grew, so did Dr. Berry’s role within it. He was instrumental in helping establish a hospital near his practice, bringing an important healthcare resource to the growing community. In addition to seeing patients at his practice, he made daily rounds at the local hospital, Huron Valley Hospital, and Pontiac Osteopathic Hospital, where he twice served as chief of staff. He also made house calls, often after hours.
Dr. Berry’s approach to medicine reflected the education he received at ATSU-KCOM. He combined modern medicine with osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT) and was known as one of the few hands-on physicians in his community. Many patients sought him out specifically for OMT, and his colleagues regarded him as a skilled diagnostician.
A life of service
For more than half a century, Dr. Berry provided whole person healthcare to the same community, which had grown considerably to a population of over 40,000. At age 80, he sold his practice. However, he didn’t officially retire until age 83 because he stayed on to help the physician who took over the practice.
Osteopathic medicine wasn’t the only part of Dr. Berry’s commitment to his community. Throughout his career and into retirement, he found additional ways to help others. He was involved with the local chamber of commerce and supported various local organizations and initiatives. Through his Methodist church, he helped secure grants for missions and connected resources with inner-city communities.
Even Dr. Berry’s hobbies reflected his desire to cultivate growth and contribute meaningful work. He always enjoyed gardening and construction projects, including remodeling homes, building additions, making stained-glass windows, and preserving pieces of history. He and Betsy continued volunteering with Habitat for Humanity well after his retirement.
His pattern of generosity was consistent: If something could be built, repaired, preserved, or strengthened, Dr. Berry was willing to help.
Remembering the source
Mrs. Jayne and Dr. Andrew Berry
The same philosophy of serving his community guided Dr. Berry’s philanthropy. He has been a longtime supporter of ATSU and served on the Kirksville Osteopathic Alumni Association, including a stint as president in 1970. Dr. Berry and his wife, Jayne, established and funded the Dr. Andrew and Jayne Berry Endowment Fund for General Operations in 2003. In 2010, he received the A.T. Still Fellow Lifetime Giving Award in recognition of his philanthropic generosity.
Privately, Dr. Berry had already made plans to leave a final gift to the University through his estate. He had spent years thinking about what he would leave behind and what positive change it would bring, but at age 96, he decided he didn’t want to wait. He wanted to see the result of his gift himself.
This recent decision to give $1 million now to ATSU is making a widespread impact across the Missouri campus and beyond. His reason for choosing to give such a significant gift is “solely due to Kirksville.” His education at ATSU-KCOM gave him the knowledge and skills to build the life and career that followed, and he wanted to pay it forward.
Without Kirksville, he says, he would not have had the life he ultimately lived.
Investing in the next generation
Dr. Berry’s $1 million gift will support the Missouri campus through investments in four areas directly contributing to the education of future healthcare professionals. Of the gift, $500,000 will support the Interprofessional Education Building expansion, particularly the dental simulation lab, with a naming opportunity. $300,000 will support ATSU-KCOM’s anatomy research lab, including a new microscope and slide scanner, with another $100,000 supporting the Drabing Human Patient Simulation Center and ultrasound lab. An additional $100,000 is designated for the ATSU unrestricted general fund.
Additionally, the full gift will be used to support matching gift challenges, allowing Dr. Berry’s generosity to stretch even further. Through these matching opportunities, the $1 million gift has the potential to generate an additional $1 million for the University, resulting in a total impact of $2 million.
Dr. Berry and his family noted their appreciation for the University’s support throughout the process of directing the gift. ATSU’s Development team helped make the process clear and straightforward while giving the family the opportunity to determine how the funds will be used. Additionally, by working collaboratively with Development, Dr. Berry was able to leverage and maximize his investment in the next generation of healthcare providers.
For Dr. Berry, the opportunity to see his gift make an immediate and lasting difference is especially meaningful. The funds will strengthen educational resources and facilities on the Missouri campus, helping provide students with the opportunities to develop the knowledge and hands-on skills they will carry into their own careers and communities.
“Don’t forget where you came from,” Dr. Berry says. “It’s not a matter of just giving back. Don’t forget the source.”
If you are interested in making a gift to ATSU or would like to discuss your giving options, please contact ATSU Development at development@atsu.edu or 660.626.2494.