OTHA E. HERRING
July 29, 1925-Nov. 18, 2008
Otha Edwin Herring, 83, passed away peacefully at his home surrounded by the things he knew and the people he loved on Tuesday after a period of declining health due to renal failure.
Funeral services will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Sunday at Pinelawn Memorial Park in Kinston. Friends are invited to a family gathering at Walnut Creek Country Club at 508 Lakeshore Drive, Goldsboro, following the service.
He was born on July 29, 1925, in Duplin County to Everett and Annie Herring.
At the age of 21, Otha, with his mother's help, convinced his stepfather to start their own chemical company, Daly-Herring, with $5,000 in capital. Over the years he acquired several other small chemical companies and expanded to six locations.
After the sale of Daly-Herring in 1975, he entered a successful career in real estate with his entrepreneurial spirit and talent of insight of thinking and planning into the future.
Otha was preceded in death by his parents, Annie Whitfield Daly and Everett Herring; stepfather John Daly; sister Mary Daly; and son Timothy Whitfield Herring.
Survivors include his wife, Violet, of the home; daughter Mary Beth Drummond and husband, Michael; grandchildren Clark and Nelson, all of High Point; daughter-in-law, Donna Herring and daughter Ashley of Wilmington; two brothers, Dr. John M Daly and wife, Fran, of Clinton, Dr. Roswald B. Daly of Pawley's Island, S.C.; sister Mrs. Margie Woodfin and husband, Fred, of Fuquay-Varina; and several nieces, nephews and cousins.
Otha loved and was equally loved by Violet's children and grandchildren, Mr. Reginald "Griff" Griffin, wife, Amanda and children, Mallory and Chloe of Cary; Miss Nancy Griffin; and Mrs. Jennifer Robertson, husband, Paul and children, Amy, Alexa, and Auburn, all of Raleigh.
Honorary pallbearers will be Stephan Andree, Lenwood Gay, Cecil Columbus, J.T. Kelly, Kenneth Maxwell, Fred Woodfin and Oliver Banks.
Otha always felt blessed to have good people in his life along with wonderful opportunities. He wanted to provide similar opportunities for others. As a result, the Herring Scholarship fund for Mount Olive College, 634 Henderson St., Mount Olive, N.C., 28365 and James Sprunt Community College, P.O. Box 398, Kenansville, N.C., 28349, were created.
He took great pride in helping others and ultimately the economy of Eastern North Carolina.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations to be given to the Herring Scholarship fund, BB&T Trust, Attn: Pam Watson, P.O. Box 2907, Wilson, N.C., 27894-2907, Lower Cape Fear Hospice Foundation, 2222 South 17th St., Wilmington, N.C., 28401 or to the charity of your choice so that others might have the same opportunities and blessings that were provided to him.
Condolences may be sent to the family at www.andrewsmortuary.com.
(Pd)
Published in Obituaries on November 21, 2008 1:46 PM