Dorothy Pauline Herring

She grew up attending Stayton Christian Church, where she gave her life to Christ. Church attendance would become a significant part of her life and the family she and her husband, John, would raise. She married John Robert Herring at Court Street Christian Church on November 30, 1963.

Shortly after marriage they started a family, having Diana, John, Steven, and Linda. It is fitting that her service is taking place in the very building where John and Dorothy attended West Salem Christian Church while raising their young family.

Dorothy modeled her love for and commitment to the Lord and every church they attended. It is said they were in church every Sunday morning, Sunday night, and Wednesday night, rain or shine.

After attending Court Street Christian Church for several years, she returned to West Salem Christian, where she was involved in a Bible study and other activities.

Dorothy wasn’t one to sit around unless it was to visit with someone she loved over a cup of coffee. She frequently sat on her porch swing, coffee in one hand and phone in the other, chatting with family and friends. She loved the outdoors and especially loved her garden. Tending to her roses, zinnias, and her vegetables, as well as creating beautiful floral arrangements, gave her great joy. She even made a career of flowers, working for Jerry’s Flowers, Pemberton’s, Rosebrier, and Roth’s in West Salem. She was also known to make the occasional bride very happy with her professional arrangements.

Dorothy loved to decorate, especially for holidays, and a get-together was typically on the schedule for most of them.

She was constantly remodeling, fixing, or painting something. At age 78, she stepped down from mixing 90-pound bags of concrete to the lighter 60-pound sacks. Even with her advancing years, she didn't hesitate to take an ax to the roots of a tree stump that needed to go.

Her activity wasn't limited to home. She was always up for a trip to the coast, including crabbing and exploring during low tide. She and John enjoyed traveling by train including trips to New Orleans, Chicago, Colorado, Arkansas, and she took a solo trip to Ohio to meet a new granddaughter.

While she could be feisty and not always agree with you, she always loved you--and you knew it. If she was sick, she seldom complained and always returned to work on the project at hand. Even toward the end, her only complaint was feeling "kinda yucky."

She was greeted every morning with a Bible verse on her wall, "Create in me a clean heart O GOD and renew a steadfast spirit within me." (Psalm 51:10). She simply desired to love God and others around her.

Dorothy is survived by her loving husband of 60 years, John; her daughter Diana and son-in-law Robert; son John and daughter-in-law Kym; son Steven and his pug Walter; daughter Linda and son-in-law Traber; 9 grandchildren; 9 great-grandchildren with two more expected in 2024, sisters Gen and Jeanne, sister-in-law Bradley, brother Philip, and sister-in-law Sandy.

She is preceded in death by her brother, William Poole, brothers-in-law Bob Bridges and Clarence Buhler, and her parents, William and Thelma Poole.

A service to honor Dorothy's life will be held at West Salem Christian Church on Friday, December 22, 2023, at 2:00 PM, with her pastor Seth Morley officiating. Refreshments will follow.

Memorial contributions may be made in Dorothy's name to West Salem Christian Church. Proceeds will go toward their Christmas "Big Give" project, which will benefit young single moms, local elementary school kids, and a West Salem Christian building repair project.

Dorothy will be deeply missed by all who knew her. Her zeal for life, deep love for her family, faith, and creativity are already missed. But those who knew her know this is not the end. Whenever someone left, she said, "We'll see ya later." More than anything, she would want you to know that if your faith is in Jesus, you will see her later, too.