The Reverend James Robert Herrington, 86, of Newark, DE, died before sunrise on Tuesday, October 15, 2024. Family and friends will remember Jim as a loving husband, father, grandfather, brother, uncle, friend, chaplain, and Mason. He was a ‘foodie’ before it was a term; wine connoisseur and collector; sports fan; world traveler; and masterful duplicate bridge player. He leaves a legacy of service and love.
Jim was born in Abilene, TX, on June 7, 1938, to the late Elgin Herrington and Clyde (McKee) Herrington. He graduated from Abilene High School in 1956 and earned a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity University in San Antonio in 1959. He served over three years in the Army, including a tour in West Germany. After, he entered Princeton Theological Seminary and earned a Master of Divinity degree (Old Testament Studies) in 1966, and a Master of Theology degree (Pastoral Counseling) in 1969. He was ordained a minister in the United Presbyterian Church (now the Presbyterian Church, USA) in April 1966. After a pastorate in Maplewood, NJ, he entered Clinical Pastoral Education in Houston, TX, and Catonsville, MD, and was granted Acting Clinical Pastoral Education Supervisor status in 1972. After four years at the Mobile, AL, Mental Health Center, he became Director of Pastoral Care and Education at the Delaware Psychiatric Center (formerly Delaware State Hospital) in 1976 and retired in 2002. He became a Board Certified Chaplain of the College of Chaplains in 1978. Jim served as a supply pastor to churches in Georgetown, Coolspring, Middletown, Elsmere, Port Penn, Delaware City, and as recently as last month, Brookside and Chesapeake City.
Following his ordination in 1966, Jim served as a chaplain in the NJ National Guard and US Army Reserve (1969-2003), including a tour in Saudi Arabia during Desert Storm, and retired in 1993 with a rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his military career, he received the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star with oak leaf cluster, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with two oak leaf clusters, and the Army Achievement Medal.
Also in 1966, during his clinical pastoral care education at Princeton and a rotation at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia, he met the love of his life, Claire Nelson. They met in April, married five months later, and celebrated 58 years of marriage last month. Jim and Claire’s family grew to include two children, Elizabeth and William.
Jim loved music and played clarinet and bass clarinet for years in the Newark Community Band. He also played bagpipes as a charter member and chief of Nur Highlanders Pipes and Drums. He was a dedicated and accomplished duplicate bridge player, enjoyed table tennis, and tracked all sports statistics. He enjoyed watching football, especially the Dallas Cowboys (and especially before they fired Tom Landry).
Masonic organizations provided a life-long home for Jim’s mental acuity and service orientation, and he was devoted to his fraternal affiliations within Masonic Symbolic Lodges, Scottish Rite, York Rite, and other Masonic Bodies, which are extensive and include (but are far from limited to): Lodge #559 in Abilene, TX (1959); Hiram Lodge #25 in Newark, DE (1992), Past Master; Grand Lodge of Delaware, Past Grand Chaplain; Tranquility Lodge #2000 (on the Moon-Grand Lodge of TX), Charter Member; Delaware Lodge of Research, Past Master. Offices he held include Deputy Grand Commander, Knights Templar of DE; Grand Marshal, Cryptic Masons of DE; Most Wise Master, Wilmington Chapter of Rose Croix (Scottish Rite).
Jim was a thirty-third degree Scottish Rite Mason, and past grand presiding officer of Royal Arch Masons, Cryptic Masons, and Knights Templar of Delaware. He received the York Rite Sovereign College’s Order of the Purple Cross and the Knight Commander of the Temple Award from the Grand Encampment, Knights Templar, both in 2012. In 2014, he was the presiding officer of the Council of Associate Regents, York Rite Sovereign College of North America.
Jim’s social and service reach was wide, and he cherished his family, especially his grandchildren. He is survived by his wife, Claire; his children, Elizabeth (Wendel) Heid of Lewes, and Bill (Colleen) Herrington of Vero Beach; his grandchildren, James, Douglas, and Lucy Heid; step-grandson, Richard Davis; sister, Mary Ann Teague; and nephews.
A visitation will be held on Tuesday, October 22, 2024, from 10-11 a.m. at Head of Christiana Church, 1100 W. Church Road in Newark, with funeral service immediately following at the church from 11-12 p.m. Burial will be private.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Sunday Breakfast Mission or Head of Christiana Presbyterian Church.
