Winnona Herring

Winnona “Bee” Herring, local business woman and beloved Mother, died peacefully in her sleep with her children gathered around her at the age of 95 early Saturday morning at her home in Abilene. Bee was born in Pampa, Texas on December 16, 1917. She grew up during the depression and knew the value of hard work and of saving her earnings against hard times. She worked side by side with her husband, Leon Herring, for over forty years selling health and life insurance until his death in January of 2001. Bee carried on the business of selling insurance and servicing policies of clients for another nine years until she fell and broke her hip. Her health steadily declined from that event. During their forty plus years of marriage, Bee and Leon also raised and raced thoroughbred horses. Bee was in charge of the breeding program, and at one time had two barns full of horses. She loved all of her horses, but her favorite was her stallion, Academy. He was like putty in her hands, but would work for no one else. Bee is survived by two sons, Kenneth Leon Herring and Lanny Rippy, both of Abilene, Texas; two daughters, Mary Herring Blanton of Abilene, and Janis Dixon and husband Richard of Wingate, Texas; five grandchildren, Michael Fergus, Scott Blanton, Kim McGyver, Jimmy Blanton, and Amy Allen; and nine great-grandchildren. Bee will be greatly missed by her family and all those who knew and loved her. Funeral mass will be at 2:00 p.m. Tuesday, February 12, at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Father Robert Bush officiating. Entombment will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park Mausoleum III directed by The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Road in Abilene. Visitation will be at the funeral home from 6 to 7 p.m. Monday, February 11, followed by a rosary at 7 p.m.