I see them bloom for me and you.
Joni was very special….she was one of the kindest and gracious people I ever knew...And she cared...She truly cared.
They were introduced by a mutual friend because they loved the same things...They shared a joie de vivre and they gave one another joy and companionship.
They traveled to Europe frequently and if they are not in LA or New York, they would spend time in their little flat in the French Quarter.
They often referred to one another as “the best,’ which they knew to be true as they had both been married a number of times before.
Their wedding took place in the beautiful inner courtyard of their mediterranean home perched on the top of one of the highest peaks in Beverly Hills.
She was friends with Mitzi Gaynor, Dick Van Dyke, Debbie Reynolds and they were all there. I sat next to Florence Henderson…Mitzi thought my brother was a catch and tried her best but he was too fast for her and kept running away, despite her best efforts... It was all in good fun.
Joni ran with the Rat Pack and had been a dancer in many of the old black and white MGM all singing, all dancing movies of the forties and fifties... Her inside leg measured 34”, which for a 5 foot, 3” dancer is remarkable…her legs were often used in movies as show doubles for Ginger Rodgers.
Her father had been a real estate developer and philanthropist and she took over and ran his foundation for many years that included the Professional Society of Dancers, a non-profit dedicated to supporting dancers both active and in-active after they retire from their relatively short dancing career.
Joni was old Hollywood glamour…and so was their love story, especially as it turned out to be her last chapter.
RIP lovely Joni. You lifted us all up and we loved you so much. Most of all Daddy, whose love and devotion for you will never fade. Thank you for bringing so much joy to his life and to ours.
https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/joni-berry-dead-longtime-professional-dancers-society-chairman-was-89-1301100