Berry, in Hospital With Pneumonia, on the Mend

Peabody native Sen. Fred Berry has been hospitalized with a bout of pneumonia, but his staff says he is expected to make a full recovery, reports the Salem News.

Wednesday night's tribute to Berry at the Danversport Yacht Club has been pushed back to Sept. 13 due to his illness.

The paper reports that Berry's staff have not elaborated on the seriousness of the illness, when he was initially admitted to the hospital or when he is expected to return home, but have said he is on the mend and should fully recover in the coming weeks.

Berry, 62 and who has cerebral palsy, has experienced some health complications in recent years that did send him to the hospital for a stretch.

He indicated in his announcement last fall that his impending retirement from the state Senate was partly due to health concerns.

The longtime senator is retiring after three decades in office.