Joe L Herring, a past LWF President and long-time board member, passed away on Saturday and all of us at LWF who worked with him and was mentored by him, feel the loss of a friend and champion of conservation. We hope he knew how much LWF leaders and members appreciated his good work. He will be missed. We thank his family for supporting him in being a true public servant and devoted volunteer.
There is much to say about Joe’s achievements. The following description from Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries does a great job of capturing his work and commitment:
“It is with a heavy heart that we announce the death of former LDWF Secretary and longtime employee, Joe Herring of Baton Rouge. Joe passed away peacefully on June 9th at the age of 89.
Services will be held at Rabenhorst Funeral Home on Government Street on Saturday, June 16th at 11:00 am. Visitation will be from 9:30 am to 11:00 am.
Joe graduated from Louisiana Tech in 1949 with a Wildlife Management degree and began his illustrious career at LDWF as a “Game Researcher” on January 15, 1955. Joe served as the District II Supervisor in Monroe from 1955 to 1962 – it was during this juncture of his career that he launched the Wildlife Education program.
From 1962 to 1971, Joe worked as the LDWF Fish and Game Chief and from 1971 to 1979 the Chief of the Game Division. From 1979 to 1980 he was Assistant Secretary for Wildlife but ended up leaving the agency for a couple of years. He returned in 1984 as the Assistant Secretary for Wildlife and served in that capacity until 1992 when former Louisiana Governor Edwin Edwards appointed him Secretary of the LDWF – a post he held until his retirement January 15, 1996.
What Herring accomplished in Louisiana and for the department is impressive. He has had a hand in many of LDWF’s success stories, especially helping to restore many of Louisiana’s treasured wildlife species. According to Joe, ‘I’ve been in every state and I would put our department with any other in the United States. One thing I always pushed was information and education with our department. That is so important. You can do all these great things, but if John Q. Public doesn’t know about it then what good is it. My message was always, let people know about the good work being done here’.
Joe was preceded in death by Rosalie, his wife of 67 years; and is survived by two daughters Sandy Kleinpeter and Jan Peterson, nine grandchildren and seventeen great grandchildren.
Herring’s credits include terms as LDWF Secretary, LOWA President, Louisiana Wildlife Federation President, Kiwanis Club President, Louisiana Wildlife Biologist Association President, Louisiana Chapter of the Wildlife Society President, Founder and Board member of Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation, and Southeastern Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies Vice President, East Ascension Sportsman’s League Board of Directors, Boone & Crockett Club official big-game trophy measurer (since 1960) and a Pope and Young official big game trophy measurer.
Some of Herring’s awards include: Louisiana Wildlife Federation Governor’s Award for Conservationist of the Year; Louisiana Wildlife Federation Professional Conservationist of the Year; Louisiana Wildlife Federation Conservation Educator of the Year; 2009 Arthur Van Pelt Award; LOWA Conservationist of the Year; SEA Fish & Wildlife Agencies Clarence W. Watson Award; SEA Fish & Wildlife Agencies Special Recognition Award; KALB-TV Special Recognition Award; National Champion Team award for small-bore rifles; Acadiana Sportsmen League Sportsman Emeritus Award; and LOWA’s Charles “Chuck” Buckley Award.
Please keep Joe Herring’s family in your thoughts and prayers.”
-Jack Montoucet, Secretary, LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries
Here is a great article written by Jodie Singer about Joe Herring published by East Ascension Sportsman’s League.