Wilford Albert Herrington

Wilford Albert Herrington passed away in Tulsa on Friday, November 9, 2018 at the age of 87. Will was born on August 3, 1931 in Wichita, Kansas and grew up the only son of Walter and Tressa (Blalack) Herrington. They lived in Wichita and Kansas City (where Walter earned his divinity degree). Walter was a Southern Baptist preacher from Huntsville, AR; Tressa hailed from Wichita, KS.

Earlier in life Will graduated from Wyandotte High School in Kansas City, Kansas in 1949, and then attended Baker College in Baldwin KS. In 1951, Will met Ida Mae Brooks on a blind date. She recalled he fell asleep during the movie, which did not impress her at all. But she later learned he had been awake for 36 hours manning the picket line on a Rock Island railroad strike. After two years of on-and-off dating, they were married in 1953 and they remained married for 62 years until Ida passed away in 2015. They had five children: Ben, Karen, Ruth, Ward, and Gail. (He wanted two kids; she wanted 7. They split the difference.) Encouraged by their parents, all five kids completed their secondary education.

Will was a builder. In the late ‘50s, he added a living room onto a house in Muncie, KS, building the foundation, fireplace and chimney himself despite no training in masonry. In the ‘60s, Will bought a 144-acre farm in Tonganoxie, KS where he built a 2,000-square-foot two-story addition onto a two-bedroom farmhouse to make room for the five kids. He built a two-story barn out of surplus concrete blocks. He always had a building project in progress, making use of whatever he had. He built cedar Hope chests for several daughters, daughters-in-law, and granddaughters, handcrafted from native red cedar he personally selected from a lumber mill in Jay, OK.

Will worked at Rock Island Railroad before settling into a 43-year career with Sinclair Oil Co. and a 32-year career in farming in Tonganoxie, KS, outside Kansas City. He started at Sinclair as a gasoline tanker truck driver and worked his way up to be Terminal Manager of the Kansas City distribution terminal.

Will enjoyed the lake. In his younger years, when the kids were still at home, they made frequent trips to Walter and Tressa’s place at Lake of the Ozarks. He was an expert water skier. Later, in their retirement years, Will and Ida retired to a lake home north of Grove at Grand Lake so the grandkids would have a place for water sports too. One of his favorite activities was to ride his jet ski across Grand Lake at dawn and watch the geese flock into the cove at dusk. He also loved to travel. In the ‘90’s and 2000s, Will and Ida crisscrossed the country in their RV, frequently with grandkids along for the ride. They visited all but 2 states in the continental US, and once did a 6-week trip to Canada and Alaska.

Will was a man of few words. He could express an entire paragraph with just a word – or sometimes just a glance. He worked from dawn to dusk most of his life to provide for his family. During the years at the farm, he put in a full shift at Sinclair, then drove home to plow, plant and harvest until dark. Will and his buddy Bill Roche sharecropped up to 2,000 acres of rented ground (that is now the Kansas Motor Speedway in Kansas City.) In the last few years at University Village, he was active in nearly every activity the Village had to offer, and served on the Advisory Committee. If you could describe Will in just five words they would be; Respected, Tireless, Unflappable, Helpful, and Strong.

Will was preceded in death by his loving wife of 62 years, Ida Mae Brooks Herrington, his parents, Walter and Tressa Herrington, and his son Ward.

Will is survived by his son Ben and wife Gail Herrington of Tulsa, OK, daughter Karen and husband Jim Keitline of Tulsa, OK, daughter Ruth and Lyle Seefeldt of Tulsa, OK, daughter Gail and Loren Ray of Austin TX, daughter-in-law Vicky Herrington of Tulsa, OK, 13 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the University Village Foundation at 8555 S. Lewis Ave. Tulsa, OK 74137.