Judith Marie Neidlinger Herring

Judith Marie Herring ( neé Neidlinger) was born to William Edward and Violet Marie (Davis) Neidlinger in Canton Ohio on April 22, 1948. She reposed in the Lord on February 14th, AD 2026.

She is survived by her husband Thomas, her son, James Thomas and daughters Marie Elise Anderson and Carrie Grace Holmes and seven beloved grandchildren, Thomas Simon and Alexander Gailen, William Leonard and Theodore Nikola Anderson and Patrick Luke, Natalie Kathleen and Caroline Marie Holmes as well as her sisters Barbara Joan Ellis and Gloria Jean Ziller.

Her family moved to Compton, California, in the 1950’s where she attended elementary school right across the street from her home. The family moved to La Mirada California and her dad changed companies from designing oil refinery pressure vessels for Fluor to designing for Parsons.

She was one of the founding members of La Mirada Church of the Nazarene and loved singing in the choir there as well as in High School. Judy graduated from La Mirada high school in 1966 with a 4.0 GPA and gave a Godly Christian valedictorian speech.

She matriculated into Biola College (located in La Mirada) on a nursing scholarship, which she dropped in her second year as by then she had determined that giving shots to people was not her calling. Graduating in 1970, with a Bachelor of Science degree, she spent the next year getting her teaching credential, going on to teach Second Grade at Bell Gardens Elementary School.

In 1977 she met her future husband at a Church career class dinner (to which he was not invited) and she became Mrs. Thomas Herring on June 3rd, 1978, and moved to San Clemente, California, as Tom was employed at the nearby San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station (SONGS).

She relaxed and enjoyed beach life as well as substitute teaching, working part time at a drug store and then at Orange Coast Christian School full time (Second Grade). Marie Elise arrived on February 28th, 1982, and subsequently the family moved to Vermont where Tom worked briefly for a Computer Systems company (and Judy made some lifelong friends at the local Christian Reformed Church) before moving back to California to work at SONGS again, and Tom and Judy were finally able to financially squeeze into a home in Mission Viejo on Oro Grande, with James Thomas arriving Christmas Day, 1983.

Judy enjoyed being a full-time mother and an active Christian, meeting other people from the diverse Christian communities in Orange County, California, and becoming interested in Homeschooling as her two young children grew up. An added Blessing was the arrival of Carrie Grace on May 29th, 1987; all three children were born in the same Hospital and delivered by the same Obstetrician, the respected Dr. David Kawasaki.

As the children grew up, we moved to a new home on Tesoro Lane and as they transitioned to public schools as time went by, Judy went back to teaching Second Grade at Mission Hills Christian School, where all three children were able to enjoy the private school experience and Judy left her mark on the student body as an ardent Green Bay Packers fan. Also, shortly after Carrie arrived, the family became a part of St. Matthew’s Church, Newport Beach. All the women in the family sang in the choir and all three children were married from St. Matthew’s.

Tom retired in 2009 and Judy enjoyed being a grandmother, traveling and staying active with Church work and friends. She had built a solid reputation for her informative yet entertaining Christmas Letters and cards, which blossomed out with more time on her hands. As old age was making itself felt, Tom and Judy bought and renovated a Unit in the Laguna Woods Village (retirement community). In 2018, they bought and moved to their current residence in Plano, Texas, and share it with their son and his family.

They have been members of St. Stephen’s Anglican Catholic Church since 2018. Judy was an integral part of the Church. She will be missed by all who knew her always.

A Requiem Mass will be held for her repose in the Lord at 12:00 p.m., Saturday, February 21, 2026, at St. Stephen’s Anglican Catholic Church, 11 Horseman Drive, Lucas, Texas 75002.

Donations in her memory may be sent to St. Stephen’s Anglican Catholic Church with a note to designate the contribution to the St. Jude’s Fund.