Doris Herron

While “It Is Well with My Soul” played quietly in the background, Doris Mae Herron was welcomed into heaven to be with her Lord and reunited with her beloved husband, Les. Over the past few years, Parkinson’s Disease and other health issues gradually affected her every day life. With the loss of her husband last year, Doris steadily declined. During the last few weeks of her life, she was lovingly cared for by Emmanuel Hospice, wonderful staff at Clark on Franklin and her daughters.

Doris Mae Elliott was born in Rockford, Illinois, on December 5, 1934 to Everett and Evelyn Elliott. After graduating from Rockford West High School in 1952, she married the one and only love of her life, Lester LeRoy Herron, on March 14, 1953. Theirs was a true life-long love story that lasted ‘until death us do part’ for 68 wonderful years!

Although she had a few part-time jobs through the years, the life of faith she lived was expressed by loving and serving her husband, family and friends. She was a regular teacher of Sunday school and VBS, and the home was open to youth groups and other church activities. In 1987, Doris and Les moved to Australia to be near family, where her main role was ‘Grandma.’ Returning in late 1993, she worked with Les at Oaklandon Christian Church Day Care in Indianapolis, IN. From 2003 till 2010 she was alongside Les for their 5th wheel travel adventures where they did some service projects, took in new sights, made new friends, supported family, and even served as campground hosts for a couple seasons. When that chapter ended, they settled in Grand Rapids, MI, to be near daughter Laura and family.

Doris is survived by her only sister Norma (Richard) Wolfe; daughter Brenda (Steve) Howard; son Douglas (Deena) Herron; daughter Rhonda (Stuart Todd) Horner; daughter Laura (Andy) Hanson; daughter Julie (Ben) Green; 15 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren.

The unconditional love she demonstrated to her children can be summarized by the chorus of “Bye Mom” written by Chris Janson:

Oh that’s just the way it is
When you think you’re grown but you’re still a kid
And you don’t know you’re somebody
That somebody loves more than themselves
And there’s a beauty in the innocence
Of not knowing that the time they’ve spent
Is more than one could ask for
And that’s a special kind of love
And it’s only there for a lifetime then it’s gone
And it’s bye mom

A memorial service via Zoom will be announced via Facebook when finalized. The family would like to thank friends and family near and far for their love, prayers and support. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Pioneer Bible Translators https://pioneerbible.org/give/MichaelAndMeganBarton or Emmanuel Hospice http://emmanuelhospice.org