Richard R. Herod

Richard R. Herod, 88, a lifelong resident of Point Marion, Pa., passed away Sunday, January 6, 2008, at his home. Born Feb. 22, 1919 in Gary, Indiana, he was a son of the late Omar and Anna (Ross) Herod. He was also predeceased by his wife of 63 years, Ruth Barnthouse Herod, on Dec. 21, 2006. He was the devoted father of Richard Herod, II of St. Paul, Minnesota, Linda Ruth Herod of Deltona, Florida, and Joyce Henderson and her husband, Doug, of Bolivar, Pa. the beloved grandfather of Richard Herod, III, of Woodbury, Minn., Daniel B. Herod and his wife Marlena of Mayville, Wisconsin, and Emily Ruth and Laura Anne Henderson of Bolivar, and a very proud great-grandfather to Logan Daniel Herod. A 1936 graduate of Point Marion High School, Richard graduated from California State Teachers College in 1940, and taught special education in Hanover, Pa. until his father’s untimely death in 1942. He then attended Pittsburgh Institute of Mortuary Science, graduating first in his class in 1944. After receiving his funeral director’s license, he operated the family funeral home until his retirement in 1986, and since then, has remained active at the funeral home, assisting with nearly all of the visitations and funerals. He was licensed as a funeral director in both Pennsylvania and West Virginia, was the oldest member of the Southwestern Funeral Directors Association, and was currently in the process of completing his continuing education requirements to maintain his licensure. Richard was a lifetime member of the First Baptist Church in Point Marion, of which his parents were among the charter families. He held a number of offices in the church, was a former choir director, and enjoyed good music and singing in his resonant bass voice. He continued to remain active in the community, and was the oldest member of the Point Marion Rotary Club, in which he was a past president and a Paul Harris Fellow, and currently had 62 years of continuous active service, honorary member of the Point Marion Volunteer Fire Department, member of the I.O.O.F #1173, and past president of the Point Marion Chamber of Commerce, where he served on their original Albert Gallatin Regatta Committee His love of Point Marion was well known, as was his knowledge of the history of the town and families in the area. The community is invited to pay their respects at the Richard R. Herod Funeral Home, Point Marion, on Tuesday from 7 – 9 p.m., Wednesday from 2 – 4 and 7 – 9 p.m., and Thursday in the First Baptist Church from 10:00 a.m. until 11:00 P.M., the hour of service, with Pastor Kathy Griffith officiating. Interment follows in the Evergreen Memorial Park, Point Marion.

Richard R. Herod

January 1, 1753 - January 10, 2008