Ouachita County Louisiana Archives Obituaries.....HERRING, WILLIAM J. SR. October 6, 2009
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Gina Brown http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00025.html#0006026 October 15, 2009, 7:31 pm

News Star World - October 8, 2009
William J. Herring, Sr.
Wright & Ferguson Funeral Home, Jackson, MS

Dr. William Joseph Herring Sr., 76, of Jackson, MS, passed away on October 6, 
2009 in Kosciusko, MS after a lengthy illness. He was educated in public 
schools in Jackson and graduated from Mississippi College in 1954. He received 
his MME in 1960 from LSU. In 1973, he was awarded his doctorate from the 
University of Southern Mississippi.

He began his teaching career in 1956 as a band and choral director for public 
schools in Vicksburg, MS. Following a 4 year stint as choral director for 
Jackson, MS schools, he assumed a music teacher's position with the Ouachita 
Parish (LA) school system and in 1971 began a three year tenure as Assistant 
Professor of Music and Director of Vocal Student Teachers at the University of 
Louisiana at Monroe. He served 5 years as choral director at Westlake High 
School and 9 years as principal at Westwood Elementary School in Westlake, LA.

He also was the founder and first conductor of the Vicksburg Civic Chorus, 
served for 7 years as orchestra director for the Strauss Playhouse Theater of 
Monroe and was assistant director for the concert choir of the University of 
Southern Mississippi.

A retired lieutenant in the U.S. Naval Reserve, Dr. Herring also served as 
conductor of the Naval Officers Glee Club of Long Beach California, and a 
minister of music at numerous churches in Mississippi and Louisiana.

Dr. Herring is past president of the Louisiana Music Educators Association and 
has received a number of honors in the music field. Among his highlights of 
his career was serving as musical director of the "Pat Boone Christmas 
Special" while in Monroe, and selected as one of the nation's 100 outstanding 
choral directors by the National Music Educators Journal. After retirement he 
remained active in church, traveled across the country, enjoyed fishing and 
hunting. Bill was a Christian. He was hard working, loved his family and 
friends, and was best known for his devotion to music. He had an amazing life.

Dr. Herring is survived by his three children, Diana Herring Collins of 
Ridgeland, MS, William (Bill) Joseph Herring Jr. and his wife Pam of Brandon, 
MS, and Joseph Trenton (Trent) Herring and his wife Yenid of Little Rock, AR; 
two grandchildren, Lauren Collins and Katie Collins Galliano; and one brother, 
James Harold Herring. He was preceded in death by his parents Clarence Benton 
Herring Sr. and Minnie Mc Williams Herring; brother Clarence Benton Herring 
Jr.; and sister Minnie Gay Herring Boyles.

Family will received friends from 9:00am Friday October 9, 2009 until the 
11:00am funeral service at Wright and Ferguson Funeral Home on High Street in 
Jackson.

Dad will be sadly missed, forever in our hearts and always loved; God couldn't 
have sent us a better father or friend. 


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