Mary Esther Herget

Mary Esther Herget, 95, died Friday, Nov. 27 of natural causes at Hospice of Jonesboro. She was a resident of Chateau on the Ridge, a retirement community here in Paragould. Mrs. Herget was a long-time volunteer and civic leader. She lived, in her words, a “long and wonderful life.”

She first came to Paragould as the wife of the late Col. Richard Philip Herget at the outbreak of World War II. Mrs. Herget lived through some historic times. She was a child of the Great Depression, a single mom while her husband fought in Europe, and a mother of five children for the remainder of her life.

She and her husband returned to Paragould upon his retirement in 1978 and lived in the Jackson-Herget home at 206 S. Fourth St. She was born May 28, 1920, in a Helena, AR, hospital to Phillips County Sheriff Joseph C. and Donna S. Barlow of Trenton. Mrs. Herget attended public schools in Marvel and graduated from Western High School in Washington, DC, where she was selected by the Washington Times-Herald for a Golden Mirror Award as one of the “beautiful young women” in the nation’s capital city.

A military wife during the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, Mrs. Herget lived in Texarkana, TX, Honolulu, HI, Arlington, VA, Fuerth, Germany, and after the military, Newport Beach, CA, and finally Paragould since 1978. She was a Cub Scout den mother, PTA officer, room-mother and hula student. She served in numerous civic roles here including president of the Arkansas Methodist Medical Center Auxiliary and member of the center’s Foundation.

Gov. Bill Clinton appointed her to the Northeast Arkansas Jail Inspection Commission, which she treated as seriously as a Supreme Court appointment. She was a member of the Greene County Courthouse Restoration Committee and rounded out her talents at age 76 as Mother Ginger in the Nutcracker Ballet for four seasons.

She was the First Grand Marshall of the 1989 Paragould Christmas Parade and in 2008 was recognized for 8,500 volunteer hours at Arkansas Methodist Medical Center with the national Summit Award by Healthcare Services Excellence Association.

Mrs. Herget’s personality was captured in a childhood story when a visiting congressional candidate visited her sheriff father who was not ready to meet the guest. She was six or seven and her parents nevertheless sent her out to talk and entertain the guest until her father was available. The Congressman never forgot her.

Her greatest achievement and lifetime occupation was that of mother. She was an equal opportunity disciplinarian and full-time nurse, a fashionista of Halloween costumes and enforcer of cotillion dance lessons. Her attitude of looking on the bright side was evident when her children gathered at her bedside during her last weeks. She asked one, “Why is everybody here?” Her son replied, “Well you told us that you had lived a long and wonderful life and you were ready to go.” She listened and said, a slight smile on her lips, “Well, I’ve changed my mind.”

Mrs. Herget was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Richard Philip Herget; her parents; one brother; and two sisters.

Mrs. Herget is survived by her five children: Dick Herget (Sara) of Shirley, AR, Barlow Herget (wife Millie) of Raleigh, NC; Nancy Herget Wood (husband Don) of Prairie Grove, AR, Harry Herget of Jonesboro (wife Brenda), and Rebecca Herget Bennett of Little Rock (husband Ken). Mrs. Herget is survived by 14 grandchildren and 21 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her sister, Ladye Gertrude Copenhaver (Harold) of Jonesboro and brother-in-law Alfred Herget (wife Virginia) of Paragould and sister-in-law Ann Kelly of Gallatin, TN.
She was a gifted storyteller and one of the first residents of the Chateau where she had many good friends who were generous listeners as was her valuable friend Shirleen Rollings. Mrs. Herget was a member of Paragould’s First United Methodist Church.

The family will receive friends Sunday evening from 5-8 at Heath Funeral Home in Paragould. The funeral will be Monday at 10 a.m. at the First United Methodist Church in Paragould with Revs. John Fleming and Heath Williams officiating. Interment will follow in Linwood Cemetery. Pallbearers are Ted, Nate, Phil, Eric, and Clay Herget, Brent Bennett, and Donald Wood. Honorary pallbearers are the members of the AMMC Auxiliary. Memorials may be made to The Chateau on the Ridge, 2308 Chateau Blvd., Paragould, AR 72450.