 Johnnie
Herrington, a 1940 graduate of
SHSU, has both business and civic
success. He credits his late mother,
Callie Herrington, and his wife,
Marge, with his accomplishments.
He says his late mother (widowed
with seven small children and
a farm to run) instilled in him
as a young man in Brushy Creek
that "Each of us can make a difference
and each of us has an obligation
to do so." Of Marge, he says,
"She has supported, encouraged
and inspired me every step of
the way. We are not only husband
and wife, we are partners and
best friends." He also derives
pride and inspiration from their
three children, Alan, Ann, Bob,
and seven grandchildren.
Johnnie came to SHSU in 1938 after working his way
through Lon Morris Junior College painting campus buildings;
he paid for his education by working at a service station,
driving a taxi-cab and securing a loan through the SHSTC
Ex-Students' Loan Fund. He taught school for the 1939-40
term and resumed to Sam Houston that summer to receive
his BS in Social Science.
Following service in World
War II with the 530th Fighter
Squadron in the China-Burma-India
Theater of Operations, Captain
Herrington returned to his home
county in 1946 and established
his real estate and insurance
business. Through hard work,
the acquisition of six other
agencies, and the addition of
life insurance and investments,
the business has grown. Today,
Johnnie, his wife, son Bob (1979
SHSU graduate) and son-in law
John Mottern, manage a solid
and growing professional staff
of specialists. In 1957, he
was one of the first property
and casualty agents to be appointed
as a "Career Agent" with Southwestern
Life Insurance Company. Other
honors include President's Club,
Top Club, Million Dollar Club,
Texas Leaders Round Table, National
Quality Awa rd and National
Sales Achievement Award.
Despite the demands of his
chosen profession, Johnnie has
found time to work in his community
of Palestine; he has served
as president of Chamber of Commerce,
Industrial Foundation, YMCA
(3-terms-awarded Service to
Youth Award), Anderson County
Chapter of the American Red
Cross, Citizens Forum, Booster
Club, Parents Club and Day Care.
In addition to serving on the
boards of numerous other civic
organizations, Johnnie has served
on the Official Board and various
committees of the First United
Methodist Church and as a member
of the Methodist Texas Conference
Board of Social Concerns. He
helped steer the building of
Lake Palestine and was instrumental
in bringing the National Scientific
Balloon Facility and Lakeview
Methodist Assembly to Anderson
County and the Area Vocational
School to Palestine. To this
day, he is a tireless promoter
of his community and one of
the first persons called upon
when Palestine citizens want
to tackle an important project.
His desire to make a difference
has extended into political
and governmental affairs as
exemplified by his serving two
terms as Mayor of Palestine
from 1959 to 1963. He served
on the Texas Municipal League
Administration and Personnel
Committee, as ch airman of the
Texas State Railroad Board and
as a member of the Texas Democratic
Executive Committee. Reflecting
on his political involvement,
Johnnie says, "It disturbs me
when people say they don't want
anything to do with politics---that's
like the drowning man who says
he doesn't want anything to
do with water."
Johnnie was elected to the SHSU Alumni Association
Board in 1974 and he served as Treasurer, Vice President,
and President (1981). As Chairman of the Alumni Operations
Study Committee in 1978, he guided important changes
in the structure and function of the Alumni Association
and its service to the University and former students.
He organized the 182-member Anderson County Chapter
and has been a Century Club member since 1974.
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