Miriam Herr, 89, of snack food company
Miriam H. Herr, 89, wife of the late founder of the snack maker Herr Foods Inc., died Sunday, Sept. 3, from heart and respiratory failure at Jennersville Regional Hospital in Chester County.
Miriam H. Herr, 89, wife of the late founder of the snack maker Herr Foods Inc., died Sunday, Sept. 3, from heart and respiratory failure at Jennersville Regional Hospital in Chester County.
In 1946, James S. Herr bought a small potato-chip company in Lancaster for $1,750. From when she was his fiancee, Mrs. Herr helped with deliveries, packing, and bookkeeping in those early years, said son James M.
The company, based in Nottingham, Chester County, generates $250 million in sales annually and employs more than 1,500 people. Mrs. Herr was a board member.
She was born Miriam Hershey in Paradise, Pa., on Nov. 29, 1926. She did not finish high school but instead enrolled in a business school in Lancaster. She learned the skills of a secretary and went to work for a lawyer, her son said.
Around this time, she met her future husband. He had been dating her older sister, but that didn't work out. He got around to asking her out and she said yes.
They were married in 1947. They moved to Nottingham, where they raised five children.
She was an active member of Mount Vernon Christian Church in Kirkwood, Lancaster County, for nearly 70 years.
Her son described Mrs. Herr, known as "Mim" to family and friends, as vivacious, with a ready smile and genuine concern for other people.
"She always made them feel important," he said.
She was an advocate for evangelism around the world through the James S. Herr Foundation and other charitable organizations.
In her private time, Mrs. Herr was an avid reader and also enjoyed playing golf with her husband. They frequently vacationed together in Mexico and Florida in the winter, and traveled the world. He died in 2012.
She was in charge of family gatherings and once organized a safari in South Africa for 50 family members, said her son, who is now chairman and chief executive officer of Herr Foods.
In addition to her son, Mrs. Herr is survived by sons Edwin and Gene; daughters June Gunden and Martha Thomas; 20 grandchildren; and 29 great-grandchildren.
A private interment was Monday, Sept. 5.
A memorial service is planned for 3 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, at Oxford Area High School, 705 Waterway Rd., Oxford. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., and after the service.
Donations may be made to Mount Vernon Christian Church, 1 Lighthouse Dr., Kirkwood, Pa. 17536, or Samaritan's Purse, 801 Bamboo Rd., Boone, N.C. 28607.
215-854-5983 @RobertMoran215