Raymond “Ray” John Herman was welcomed into God’s Eternal Kingdom on Monday, June 3, 2024, with his wife, children, and grandchildren at his side. He was 84 years old. As a devout Catholic, he led his life through faith and prayer. He was a loving and affectionate husband, father, uncle, grandfather, forester, farmer, hunter, fisherman, neighbor, and friend. 

Ray is survived by his wife, Beverly (Boxell), of Seymour, Ill., his children, Mark (Julie) Herman of Mahomet, Ill., Jennifer McKay of Denver, Colo., Lynn Wingert of Farmer City, Ill.; his grandchildren, Allison and Dana Herman, Kelsey and Caitlin McKay, and Jacob, Madyson, and Gracie Wingert. Also, mourning his loss are his siblings, Marge Hughes, Jane Herman, Alice Billman, Phyllis (David) Harris, and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents Jim and Bertha (Kuhl) Herman and siblings Louella Zuber, Jim Herman, Julia Blank, Kenneth Herman, and Daniel “Doc” Herman. 

On Aug 31, 1939, Ray came into the world as the eighth of 10 children born to Jim and Bertha in Olney, Ill. Growing up with three brothers and six sisters, Ray was devoted to his faith and family, fostering unique relationships with every member. Throughout his childhood, he developed a vigorous and determined work ethic, which carried into every aspect of his life.

Ray graduated from Richland County High School in 1957 and immediately went to work raising money for college. He worked as a “roughneck” in the oil fields near Olney and then moved to Upper Michigan, where he labored seven days a week. After saving to pay his way through school, Ray attended the University of Illinois, and then went on to Southern Illinois University in Carbondale where he graduated in 1963 with a B.S. in agronomy. 

While in high school, Ray met the love of his life, Beverly Boxell, whom he married Sept. 1, 1962. Ray and Bev started building their family legacy when they welcomed their first child, Mark, in August 1963, in Kankakee, Ill. At that time, Ray began his career as a soil scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture - Soil Conservation Service (now called NRCS). As the family continued their life in Kankakee, their second child, Jennifer, was born in June 1965. Ray’s path as a soil scientist moved the family to several locations in Illinois, including St. Charles, Carterville, and Geneseo. While in Carterville in 1971, the third Herman child, Lynn, came along. The family ultimately relocated to Mahomet, Ill., where Ray finished his dedicated 33.5-year career mapping the soils of the state as a resource conservationist, retiring in 1995.

In his retirement years, his passion for conservation continued. Ray was truly “nuts'' about all things nuts, seeds, soil, plants, and trees. He took pride in helping the environment and caring for God’s great earth. In conjunction with his brother, Doc, and his son Mark and nephews, Ray purchased a family farm in Palestine Ill., in 1978, driving 2.5 hours to cultivate, hunt, and make improvements. During farming season, Ray traveled to the farm several days a week to take care of crops and tend to his growing forest. He also served on various committees at his “second home” in Crawford County. His work on the LaMotte Creek watershed committee helped to improve flooding problems in the area and around the Herman farm. 

As a member and leader in numerous forestry and conservation clubs, Ray co-wrote the “Illinois Direct Seeding Handbook” to share his craft. His passion for “direct seeding” prompted him to collect thousands of pounds of oak seeds annually for use in seeding the state, local parks, and forests. Ray became quite literally the Johnny Appleseed of acorns as he gathered various species of oak seeds in yards, cemeteries, and recreational areas all over the state. Additionally, he was the first president of the Illinois Forestry Association when it formed in 2006 and was named Illinois Tree Farmer of the Year in 2012 for his conservation practices at Herman & Sons Farm. 

As an avid reader and lifelong learner, Ray read the newspaper each day. He enjoyed mystery thrillers and completing sudoku puzzles. Ray’s Southern Illinois roots lead him to cheer loudly for his favorite baseball team, the St. Louis Cardinals. Once his family moved to the Champaign area, Ray’s blood turned decidedly orange and blue. His love of the Fighting Illini and passion for athletics encouraged him and Bev to become University of Illinois football and basketball season ticket holders for more than 40 years. They hosted countless tailgate parties for friends and family during football season. Ray also traveled to nearly every Big Ten football stadium to cheer on the Illini. He was loyal and committed not only to his sports teams, but first and foremost to his family. 

Also devoted to his longtime neighborhood “community” of Pinetree, Ray had chainsaws, a log splitter, and a rototiller. He was happy to spend days assisting his neighbors in planting a tree, cutting down a tree, or fixing anything. Ray served on the Pinetree Board for many years and helped implement improvements and updates to keep his small community vibrant. 

Ray and Bev were also founding members of Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Mahomet. Ray was involved in fundraising and planning for the original church in 1981 and the current church in 1997. They later attended St. Boniface Catholic Church in Seymour where Ray continued his work to beautify the church grounds and cemetery. 

Above all, Ray admired and cherished his relationships with his wife, three children, and seven grandchildren. He displayed his values of determination and hard work with the saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough gets going.” He took extraordinary pleasure in teaching his children and grandchildren how to fish, ski, hunt, gather, garden, and appreciate the outdoors, no matter the weather. Throughout the years, Ray and his family vacationed at the Bar Lazy J Dude Ranch in Colorado, took multiple trips to Kona, Hawaii, headed to Brittany, France, to see relatives, and frolicked through the green valleys of Ireland.

Thomas Fuller said: “He that plants trees loves others besides himself.” That was exactly what Ray did until the very end. 

Visitation will be held June 7 at Our Lady of the Lake Catholic Church in Mahomet. Memorial Mass will be celebrated at the church.

Blair Owens Funeral Home, Mahomet, IL