James "Ron" Herring

James Ronald “Ron” Herring, 79, of Ocean Springs, Mississippi, passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of Sunday, October 4, 2026, at home surrounded by the family he loved.

Ron was born February 16, 1947, in Gulfport, Mississippi, to James Carl Herring and Hester Tullos Herring. A proud Gulf Coast native, he called Ocean Springs home for more than 50 years and spent his life deeply connected to the people, places, waters, and communities of South Mississippi.

Ron was a graduate of Harrison Central High School, Millsaps College, where he earned his Bachelor of Science, and Mississippi State University, where he earned his master’s degree. He built a remarkable career devoted to science, the environment, safety, and public service. He worked as a Fisheries Biologist with the Gulf Coast Research Laboratory and the Bureau of Marine Resources, taught Biology at Gulf Coast Community College, and ultimately retired from Mississippi Power after 28 years as an Environmental Specialist.

His professional accomplishments were many. He served as President of the Jaycees in 1975, was named Fisheries Conservationist of the Year in 2008, received the Mississippi Tennis Association Volunteer of the Year award in 2005, and was a member of Mississippi Power’s Hurricane Georges Storm Center in 1998. But perhaps his proudest professional accomplishment came in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when Ron served on the Storm Director’s Committee for Mississippi Power. Under this leadership, power was restored to every home that could receive it in just 12 days. The extraordinary effort became the subject of numerous national articles and a book.

Ron took safety and environmental stewardship seriously—but that never stopped him from having a little fun with them. He was famously creative, writing rock-opera-style safety training videos that became part of Mississippi Power’s company culture and are still remembered by those who worked with him.

In his younger years, Ron was an athlete. At Harrison Central, he played football, baseball, basketball, and soccer, and later played soccer at Millsaps where he also was a member of the Kappa Sigma Fraternity. After college, he continued playing softball in a men’s league and even became an umpire; although, in a moment that perfectly captured Ron’s particular brand of fairness, he was once thrown out of a game for arguing his own call.

Ron was an Eagle Scout, and when he became a father, he became an Assistant Scoutmaster. He believed in the Scout Law and lived by it. He coached Little League baseball and softball, proudly watched his children compete, and later his grandchildren.

Ron enjoyed Mardi Gras season and served as Captain of Les Pierrot’s, Duke in the Crew of Bonne Vivants, and was a charter member of the Ocean Springs Carnival Association. In his younger years, he served as weigh master for the Jaycees and Elks fishing rodeos.

He loved fishing with his family and Sunday trips to Horn Island. He taught his children an important lesson in Gulf Coast expedition management; hold it until we make it to “Pee Corner.” He was a legendary storyteller, and whether a particular tale was completely true, mostly true, or something Ron had improved upon over the years was often impossible to determine. What could always be counted on, however, was that the story would be entertaining and usually contained a life lesson.

He was a collector of things that made perfect sense to Ron and perhaps nobody else: pocket knives, random rocks, flashlights, ditty bags, and anything else that might someday prove useful. He could rebuild a boat trailer, fix something that probably shouldn’t have been fixable, and find a reason to keep one more thing because, after all, you never know when you might need it.

He was a rabid Mississippi State Bulldogs fan and a devoted New Orleans Saints fan. He also took great pleasure in being teased by his Ocean Springs High School son for being a “Damn Red Rebel,” a rivalry that apparently survived decades and will likely continue somewhere beyond this life.

But above everything else, Ron was a husband, father, and grandfather.

He fiercely loved his wife, Virginia “Ginny” Kay Leathers Herring, for 50 years. He loved her loudly, completely, and in a way that made women envious and men a little angry. Their marriage was a testament to partnership, devotion, laughter, and the kind of love that grows deeper through a lifetime shared.

Ron is survived by his beloved wife, Ginny Herring; his son, Jamie Ingram Tullos Herring; his daughter, Genna Leathers Herring; and his grandchildren, Gehrig McGwire Herring, Hendrix Virginia McQuilkin, Maxwell Irving Herring, and James Mathe.

He was preceded in death by his parents, James Carl Herring and Hester Tullos Herring; and brother, Larry Herring.

Ron leaves behind much more than a list of accomplishments. He leaves behind stories, some true, some questionable, all memorable. He leaves behind lessons about service, curiosity, loyalty, safety, conservation, competition, and showing up for the people you love. He leaves behind a family who learned from him, laughed with him, argued with him, traveled with him, fished with him, and loved him.

Memorial services will be held at 1:00 p.m. Monday, October 12, 2026, at Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home in Ocean Springs, Mississippi. Friends may visit with the family one hour prior to the service. A reception will follow at the Ocean Springs Yacht Club from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Homes is honored to serve the family of James “Ron” Herring.