Travis W. Herring

Travis William Herring was born June 4, 1936, to Fred and Ruth Herring from Lometa, Texas. He graduated from Lometa High School in 1954 and in 1958 received a Bachelor of Science degree in Agriculture from Texas A&M University. While at college, he lettered on the Texas A&M Rifle Team. Following graduation, he worked with the Soil Conservation Service, conducting land surveys in West Texas and the Texas Panhandle. He then served as an Assistant County Extension Agent in Coleman, Texas, where he met and married Mary Ann Crowder. After their wedding, Travis and Mary Ann moved back to the family ranch, which was started in the late 1800s near Lometa. He and his father established “Herring & Son Angus Ranch,” an award-winning cattle business. Travis also taught Ag and Science for 10 years at his alma mater, Lometa ISD, while growing his thriving cattle herd and a farrow-to-finish hog operation. Travis served two terms as a Lampasas County Commissioner. He was on the Hill Country Soil and Water Conservation District Board of Directors for more than 40 years and served on the Resource Conservation and Development Council.  He was an active Lions Club member, served on the Lampasas County Historical Commission and was a deacon of the Lometa First Baptist Church. He also worked tirelessly each spring and summer to make the Lometa Youth Rodeo and Diamondback Jubilee successful. Travis loved the Lord, his family, his country and state and took great pride in his ranch and cattle. In his book, True Cowboy Stories, he wrote, “Through it all, I have thanked the Lord many times that he put me here in this part of Texas on this ranch with a desire to do this kind of work.” On February 27, 2019, he died doing his life’s work on the ranch that he loved. Travis is survived by his wife, Mary Ann; sons, Mike and Kirk Herring; daughter, Lisa Herring Block; three nephews, Greg, Mark and Max Eddings, and grand-daughters, Amy and Emily Herring. He is also survived by his daughter-in-law, Dawna Dawson Herring, and son-in-law, Jeff Block. He was preceded in death by his parents, Ruth and Fred Herring, and his sister, Mary Kay Eddings. Funeral services are scheduled for Saturday, March 2, 2019 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in Lometa. Burial will follow in the Lometa Cemetery.