(RAYMOND) ROBERT (BOB / BOBBY) HERRINGER
APRIL 2, 1943 – MARCH 20, 2026

It is with great sadness that we announce the departure of our beloved ‘dear one’ husband and father. He was most reluctant to leave Sharon, the love of his life from his teenage days.

He was predeceased by his mother and father, Kathrine and Raymond of Medicine Hat, and his mother-and-father-in-law, Frieda and Jacob Hoffman, Kelowna, BC.

He is survived by his brother Jim (Anna) of Tsawwassen along with a large and loving extended family of nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles and cousins.

He entered this earth on April 2, 1943 in Medicine Hat, Alberta. He leaves behind his amazing wife and companion, Sharon Rosalyn, nee Hoffman, and their beloved daughters Corinne Rae (Anthony) of Surrey,
BC and Sheri Dawn (Troy) of Windsor, Ontario.

His claim to fame is being picked up on the back road to the Medicine Hat Exhibition and Stampede during a wild west rodeo somewhere around 1952 – by none other than rodeo clown, and eventual movie star Slim Pickens – in his ‘big white Cadillac’.

Bob’s newspaper career began at the age of 11 with his first paper route. He went on to serve as an Accountant and Circulation Manager at The Medicine Hat News, later transferring to The Windsor Star, prompting the family’s move in 1979.

While in ‘The Hat, he was very active with the Kinsmen – and was elected president of the Kinsmen Club. At the time, with 120 members, it was the largest Kinsmen Club in Canada. His membership in the Cypress Club was something he greatly valued and took pride in. After an early (downsizing) departure from The Star in Windsor, he worked various jobs in Windsor, and Vernon, where he and Sharon moved to in 2003 – just in time for that summer’s firestorms. Sharon was born in Vernon, but left there at an early age.

At age 65, he became the publisher of Experience 50+ Living, an annual high-quality magazine – with four separate editions across the Thompson Okanagan. With the creative talents of art director Sid Cho, the publication was a great success—even surviving the COVID-19 pandemic, missing only one non-publishing event.

During a visit to Service BC in Vernon, one of the questions asked was ‘have you lived in BC previously’. To their surprise, both him and Sharon were able to answer ‘yes’. Bob spent a couple of years as a young child on northern Vancouver Island where his mother was a nurse in Alert Bay during and after WWII.

Their travels were extensive. While living in Medicine Hat, they explored the west and southwest; in Windsor, the east and southeast. Multiple cross-country trips—often through the United States—added up to well over one million miles.

Bob resurrected the ‘Newspaper in Education’ program at The Windsor Star and served as a member of the Canadian Daily Newspaper Association national NIE committee – working with good friend Joan Abeles. He was also treasurer/director for the Ontario NIE Association. His work leading workshops for student teachers at the University of Windsor’s Faculty of Education, with good friend and educator, Ruth Schloz, earned him an Associate Teacher certificate.

While in Windsor, he went through the ranks of the Windsor Goodfellows Club, an integral Windsor charitable organization since 1910, and was named “Goodfellow of the Year” in 1992. While in Vernon, he volunteered for nine years with the Citizens on Patrol (COPS), patrolling the streets of Greater Vernon in the overnight weekend hours.

His travels with the love of his life included Alaska, Hawaii, Mexico and Barbados. They took advantage of the world travels of Sharon’s brother, Larry and companion, Sheila with outstanding visits to England and Wales while they were living in Wimbledon, and an extensive visit to Turkey and Greece while there were living in Izmir, Turkey. Their travels took them to most of the United States, and all Canadian provinces.

Some of their most cherished journeys were cross-country trips across the USA with daughters Corinne (Tony), and Dawn with her dog, Kai. A favorite stop along the way was visiting Uncle Oscar and Aunt Edna Herringer in Lethbridge, where the table was always filled with the best perogies and Mennonite sausage imaginable.

Bob tried his hand at just about everything. As a youngster, he sold greeting cards. He briefly explored taxidermy—until he discovered what that truly involved! He raised pigeons for a time and became a member of the Canadian Pigeon Fanciers Association. His prized pair of highflying rollers would soar until they were barely visible, then return in spectacular fashion, performing backward somersaults—up to nine rolls at a time.

In his collection were three homers (homing pigeons). There were released on a trip to Calgary, at Strathmore. One returned to its roost at the back of 1165 Yuill Street in Medicine Hat. The Canadian Wheat board provided free wheat for his flock. All that was needed was a bike and a sack and off to the railway yards in search of an empty wheat railcar. A little board removal between the bevels of the railcar revealed a treasure-trove of golden wheat that had failed in its journey to some seaport.

While living in Windsor, Bob and Sharon took great advantage of their adjacency to Detroit. Becoming fans of all things Detroit, including the sports teams, the Lions, Tigers and Red Wings, oh my! Many a day trip was spent going to a movie and dinner or just exploring Michigan. His love of Detroit extended to the Detroit 6 o’clock news which he never missed even after they left Windsor.

In 2025, Bobby (as he preferred to be called now, much to Sharon’s chagrin) and Sharon moved from Vernon to Langley, BC to a wonderful retirement home, the Renaissance, to be closer to Corinne and Tony. It was here that stage 4 cancer claimed his life. Sharon remains there today, making new friends and continuing her journey. In Bob’s honour, please consider making a donation to any charity of your choice.

He will be deeply missed. His storytelling, humour, and spirit will live on in all who knew him.

He would like to leave you with his final words:
“Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: because I am the meanest son of a bitch in the valley.” 

And his last words to his daughters ‘keep kicking ass’.