Mark Allan Herring

Mark Allan Herring, 53, of Elysburg, Pa., died Sept. 18, 2009, with his loving family surrounding him in the home of his ancestors. His illness was sudden but he died peacefully. He was born in Elysburg on Dec. 10, 1955 to Rev. Dr. Paul L. and Eleanor (Roadarmel) Herring who survive him. He lived in numerous places in Pennsylvania. He was a Towanda Area High School graduate. He last worked for Geisinger Medical Center in environmental services. He had been a member of the United Methodist Church. He was a member of the Sons' of Union Veterans, and the Catawissa Guard. Mark loved writing, reenacting and book collecting, and he was an avid Phillies and Eagles fan. Survivors include his fiancée Susan Crawford; two sons: Matthew of North Andover, Mass. and Damian of York, Pa.; parents: Rev. Dr. Paul L. and Eleanor Herring of Carlisle, Pa.; and a sister Ruth and her husband Vince Loose and a nephew Andrew of Mechanicsburg and two grandsons. A service of celebration of Mark's life will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, at the Elysburg United Methodist Church with Rev. Ivan Alberts and Rev. Dr. Paul L. Herring officiating. Interment will be held in the Pine Hill Cemetery, Elysburg. Arrangements are by the Rothermel Funeral Home, Ray W. Rothermel, director. published in The Daily Review, Towanda, PA, September 20, 2009

Co-Founders of the 149th Bucktails Descendant's Association Tom "Bucko" Reilley and Mark "Jed X. Hastings" Herring

The Memorial Program



Saturday, September 26th, 2009

"Amazing Grace"
"The Vacant Chair"

Mark, aka “ Jed X. “ was my friend.  In fact he was one of my best friends ever, and I do not say that lightly. I first met Jed in 1995 at the annual Bucktail Reunion in Driftwood, PA. Over the next 14 very short years, we connected on many different levels. We enjoyed doing many different Civil War reenactments and living history events. I had his back, and he had mine, wherever we went together.

We never spoke directly of it but we both knew reenacting wasn’t a hobby, it was a life style, and Jed lived it to the fullest.  He was always there to lend a helping hand and encouragement to teach new recruits how to Do It Right, and it was always in a constructive manner. When our old 149^th unit self-imploded, Jed was the one who kept my frustration in line. He knew how much the original 149^th meant to both of us, and together he helped me channel everything into forming the 149^th  Descendant’s Association so that They would be remembered and honored for all the sacrifices they made for both Pennsylvania and the United States. I always notified him when a descendant of Company E joined, because Jed was descended from Nathan Hering of Company E, and he always thanked me for that. That was Jed’s way of telling me "See!  We’re doing right by Them".  We both had ancestors in other Pennsylvania units, too - his were in the 17th PA Cav, 46th PVI, and 151st PVI and mine were in the 55 PVI,  the 76/192/195 PVI, and the 13^th PA Cav, so we often discussed these other units and the roles they played defending the Union. We made plans that someday he and I would go together and tour some of the battlefields I had never seen; he would be my personal tour guide and I would learn from him. This was an outgrowth from the time he and his (then) wife Char, and myself and my wife Pat, led a brief tour of Gettysburg for some friends of ours who were in nearby Carlisle for an Irish Wolfhound Club of America national specialty dog show a few years ago. Sadly the battlefield tour will not happen now. Nor will other things we planned on doing together. Jed loved sports and was a fanatic follower and historian of the Eagles, Phillies, and Penn State football.  We would discuss and compare his Eagles and my Cleveland Browns, especially the games & AAFC/NFL championships of the 40’s and 50’s.

His knowledge of my Browns and Youngstown State University just amazed me. I gave up on major league baseball after the 1986 strike but we often discussed the Phillies, Red Sox, etc. He even talked me into some day going to Fenway Park to see a game together. Again, that sadly never came to pass. His humor was infectious and I especially loved cracking jokes and sarcastic comments that always left him laughing and rolling on the floor. He would call me up when he was upset and frustrated at the extra work load left for his second shift team, and within minutes I would have him laughing at something else, just to take his mind off work. He was my friend. I was there to help him, any time I could.  I miss my friend in ways I cannot describe. From now on, whenever I am tenting on the old campground, I’ll still hear him calling “Form Company!" "Fall In! ”  – and we’ll be off on the road to Richmond together.

Thank you, Jed, for the few oh so short years I was so very privileged to have known you.

Tom Reilley