George William Herring, Jr., 80, of Sandy Springs, Georgia, passed away peacefully on Sunday, December 8, 2024 after a long illness. Born on December 4, 1944 at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia, George was the beloved son of the late Col. George William Herring, Sr., USMC (Ret) and Elizabeth Morgan Herring originally of Rockmart, Georgia.

The son of a Marine, George was the oldest of three children and had a great number of adventures moving around the United States and even celebrated his fourth birthday while living in pre-Communist China. He fondly recalled campouts in the desert with the Boy Scouts, water skiing in the Neuse River with his sisters, and skateboarding in southern California with the many friends he made along the way. George graduated from Hammond High School in Alexandria, Virginia in 1963. In 1967, he earned his Bachelor of Science in Finance from Penn State University, where he was a proud member of the Theta Chi Fraternity. He went on to receive his MBA in 1969 from Georgia State University. George launched his successful career in finance at C&S Bank in Atlanta where he would meet his future wife of 51 years, Cheryl.

George was an avid reader and a life-long student of history and technology. As a teenager, he began playing golf with his father and continued playing regularly into his seventies with a close-knit circle of friends. He enjoyed working in his yard, exercising, traveling, and spending time with his family at Jekyll Island. George was fiercely loyal to his beloved Penn State Nittany Lions and a dedicated fan of the King of Rock and Roll, Elvis Presley. He will be remembered as a thoughtful and unpretentious man known for his intelligence, gentle humor, and deep commitment to his family. He was a kind gentleman who meant a great deal to a great number of people.

George was predeceased by his sister, Elisabeth Herring Colquhoun. He will be greatly missed by his wife, Cheryl Settle Herring, his daughters, Christy Herring Fretwell (Chris), Jenny Herring Lee (Robert), grandson Jackson Fretwell, sister Margaret Herring Keogh, and six nieces and nephews. George's family is deeply grateful to all of the caregivers whose compassion, knowledge, patience, and dedication enriched his life over the past two years.

The family will hold a memorial service to celebrate George's life on Saturday, January 4 at 2:00 PM at Northside Chapel, 12050 Crabapple Road, Roswell, Georgia 30075. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial gifts be made in George's honor to the Lewy Body Dementia Association, Inc., www.lbda.org , 912 Killian Hill Road S.W., Lilburn, GA, 30047, 404-935-6444.