Bill Herring

Bill Herring

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Many times we don’t realize the gift inside of the people we meet. When I met Bill what struck me about him was his quick wit and his wanting to make me laugh and feel at ease. He was best man at our wedding and he was there before we were. Bill wasn’t sure he was gonna like me but in the 14 short months that proceeded we became friends. When I was at my wit’s end Bill would tell me stories and let me figure things out for myself, not one to say do this or do that - just a story or two where you make your own ending. I liked that about Bill. What I didn’t like about Bill - he refused to go see a doctor about his heart. We both had CHF and I ended up in the hospital and died and rose again but Bill - kept refusing to go. Bill watched me recover but being stubborn . . . Ah Bill. I sent him a poem and told him I still had dreams I wanted to live for and the next thing I knew he sent me an email with a surprise - a web page just for me. Bill watched me make many mistakes and soon make the web page my own and soon - life and drama happened and I stopped working on my gift. Since Bill’s passing I have gone back and transformed everything. My husband told me Bill was very proud of me - something Bill never said to me but I understood - see my husband didn’t believe in my talents, gifts or dreams. it’s a part of why I left him. Bill and I stayed in touch by email and Bill had his ways - a ton of emails then silence then back at it again. I am glad to have had the gift of Bill Herring in my life.

HERRING, WILLIAM MARK, age 58, died at home on April 7, 2009 of complications related to cardiovascular disease. He was born December 17, 1950 in Balboa, Panama to the late Thomas M. Herring and Rose V. Slough. William is survived by his daughter, Anna of Des Moines, IA, his son William of Des Moines, IA, and his son T. Michael, his daughter-in-law Amanda, and grand-daughter Baylyn all of West Des Moines, IA. He is further survived by his brothers, Kevin of Hallandale Beach, FL and Brian of Sweden, and an aunt, Doris Brown, of Gainesville, FL. Memorial services to be announced at a later time. To visit this Guest Book Online, go to www.MiamiHerald.com/obituaries

April 14, 2009

My father figure, my clown, my confidant, my sounding board, my brother, my singing coach, my computer guru, my Webter's Dictionary, my friend....I will miss you Bill Herring.

~ Angeline Gullo, Ft Lauderdale, Florida

April 13, 2009

I'll miss your sense of humor and your great plane stories (even though you made some of them up). You always had a great love of nature and the stars, so many questions. Maybe now you can get some answers. God speed.
Cousin Dave

~ David Owen, Gainesville, Florida

April 13,2009
Willy, it is hard to believe that you are no-longer with us. Thank you for allowing me to be your friend.Thank you for every phone calls, for every e-mail and for every kind words you had shared with me.You were always there when I needed a friend. I missed you so much and I will always remember you.
Rest In Peace
Love,Nakita Stockholm, Sweden

~ Nakita Vazic, Stockholm Sweden

April 12, 2009

We first me Bill in 1966, through his Aunt & Uncle Doris & Dave. Then later as our next door neighbor. Our association was not just neighbors but also close friends. You are already missed and we'll not forget you Buddy.

~ Stan & Cam Dunn, Miami Gardens, Florida

April 11, 2009

mis mas sentido pesame a la familia de bill el fue gran amigo para mi --

~ maria gonzalez, pembroke pines, Florida

April 11, 2009

It's was great to have met you, Billy. Godspeed.
R. Chitty

April 11, 2009

Bill could be a handful and he always had a joke to tell and a listening ear to give. I didn't get to know him long but his impression will last a lifetime. He has encouraged me to go back to writing because its my passion and he created a web site for me so that I would get it in gear. I miss him so much and his encouraging words.

~ Lynda Daniel-Way, Bunswick, Georgia

THIS SACRED LAND - a poem

OLD GLORY IS STILL FLYING
ABOVE THIS SACRED LAND
THANKS TO THE MANY SOLDIERS
WHO BAPTIZED FOREIGN SAND
WITH AMERICAN SWEAT AND BLOOD
THEIR LIFE'S DREAMS...AT AN END...
IN THE BATTLE'S RAGING FLOOD
CAUGHT UP IN...HEAVEN'S WIND...

NOW WE EYE A NEW TYRANNY
NOT IN SOME DISTANT PLACE
BUT RIGHT HERE IN AMONG US
THE TYRANT SHOWS HIS FILTHY FACE
GOVERNMENT FORMERLY OF WE THE PEOPLE
HAS RUN IT'S SELFISH RACE
AND HAS LEAD US OFF THE PATH
TO NEAR RUIN AND DISGRACE...

BUT LET US NOT FORGET HIS WORDS
GOD BLESS HIS VERY BONES
IN THE SEEMINGLY LOST SEA BATTLE
SPOKE OUR CAPTAIN JOHN PAUL JONES
SURRENDER, SIR?
I HAVE NOT YET BEGUN TO FIGHT!
AS HE AND OTHERS HELPED THE CROWN
DRIFT OFF STAGE...LOST TO SIGHT...

ONCE AGAIN WE ARE CALLED TO BATTLE
HEAR THE BUGLES AND THE DRUMS
UP NOW SOLDIER...STORM THE RAMPARTS
OF THESE DEEPLY ENTRENCHED BUMS
IT'S TIME THEY FEEL OUR ANGER
IN THE MARBLED HALLS OF THIS SACRED LAND
AND MIGHT NOT THEIR GREEDY BLOOD
SATE TYRANNY'S...SELFISHLY...THIRSTY...SAND?

Copyright 2009: William Mark Herring - BMI

Friendship is like a golden chain
the links are friends so dear
And like a rare and precious jewel
It's treasured more each year I

It's clasped together firmly
With a love that’s deep and true
And it's rich with happy memories
And fond recollections, too

Time can't destroy its beauty
For as long as Memory lives
years can't erase the pleasure
that the joy of friendship gives

For friendship is a priceless gift
That can't be bought or sold,
But to have an understanding friend
Is worth far more than Gold

And the golden chain of friendship
Is a strong and blessed tie
Binding kindred hearts together
As the years go passing by

Helen Steiner Rice

For Bill~

Much Love,

Your Friend Always,

Angeline "Angel" Gullo

Ode to Bill

Bill liked poems that rhymed

Railed against crime

And politicians that are corrupt

He always had a kind word

Many more that were absurd

But Bill was a friend of mine

I didn’t know him long

But he was proud of his song

His family and most of his life

Bill could be a handful

And that is no bull

But it was all part of Bill being Bill

I don’t know as yet

But I can imagine and I bet

Bill is talking God’s ears off right now

Bill was my friend

And with him gone this poem I send

To the ones that I found in his mail

The Tall ship

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads his white sails to the morning breeze and starts or the blue ocean. He is an object of beauty and strength.

I stand and watch him until at length he hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone says: “There, he is gone….”

“Gone where?”

Gone from my sight. That is all. He is just as large in mast and hull and spar as he was when he left my side and he is just as able to bear his load of living freight to his destined port. His diminished size is in me, not in him.

And just at the moment when someone at my side says, “There, he is gone!” there are other eyes watching him coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout,

“Here He Comes!!!”

“The Lord caused the storm to be still so that the waves of the sea were calm. Then they were glad because they became peaceful. And so the Lord guided them to their desired heavenly haven.”

Psalm 107: 29-30