John Huntting Herrick
John Huntting Herrick died on Monday, November 14, at Sam’s Assisted Living in Palm Coast, Florida. He was 95.
Born and raised in Southampton, he attended Southampton High School and Exeter Academy before graduating from Harvard University in 1938. An avid athlete, Mr. Herrick held national collegiate records in the discus and was a varsity athlete in basketball and track. Following college, he worked for Proctor and Gamble and later did defense work at Grumman Aircraft during World War II.
In 1942 he married Doris Dingman, who predeceased him in 2003. The couple settled in 1948 in Wellesley, Massachusetts, where they raised six children.
In 1950 Mr. Herrick and a business associate founded Bestpak Inc. in Natick, Massachusetts, a packaging company, which he ran until his retirement in 1985. At Bestpak, fueled by his inventor’s spirit, he developed many packaging industry innovations still in use today.
Known for his wit, generosity of spirit, and commanding 6-foot-8-inch height that belied his gentle nature, Mr. Herrick lived a long life of service to others marked by a deep love of his large family. He served as scoutmaster, church deacon, Harvard Varsity Club secretary, and along with his beloved wife Doris, championed causes and charities too numerous to list. Upon his retirement to Palm Coast in 1985, he and Doris enjoyed golf, travel, and visits with grandchildren. He stayed fit by continuing his lifelong habit of daily walks and kept his mind sharp well into his nineties by spending countless hours working on a complex geometry proof. Mr. Herrick is survived by six children, Nancy Gruber of Georgia, Jack Herrick of North Carolina, Robin Herrick of California, James Herrick of California, Andrew Herrick of New Hampshire, Lynn Snyder of Florida; nieces and nephew, Deborah Herrick Hare and Hilary Herrick Woodward, both of Southampton and Samuel Herrick of California; 13 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren;
A memorial service will be held at Trinity Presbyterian Church in Palm Coast, Florida, on Saturday, December 3 at 2 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to Trinity Presbyterian Church, 156 Florida Park Drive North, Palm Coast, FL 32137, or to the American Cancer Society at cancer.org.
on Nov 29, 2011