Obituary for Wayne Herkness II
Wayne Herkness II, 98, of Roanoke, VA, and Lewisburg, WV, passed away peacefully on Monday, November 30th.
Herkness was born in Plainfield, NJ, in 1917. His parents were the late Lindsay Coates Herkness and Carlota LaLanne Herkness of Philadelphia, PA. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1939 and served on destroyers in the U.S. Navy, commanding first the USS Alden and then the USS Mayo from 1943-1946. Herkness resigned from the Navy as a commander.
After leaving the Navy, Herkness worked for United Carbon in West Virginia. In 1958, he became president and CEO of Greenbrier Instruments, Inc., in Ronceverte, WV, where he worked until its purchase by Bendix Corporation in 1961. In 1964, he founded the Damon Company, a machine shop, in Salem, VA. He continued to run the company until his death. An engineer and inventor, he held three U.S. patents.
Herkness was a member of the U.S. Croquet Association and a nationally ranked player.
In 1956, he married Rebecca Cassady with whom he had two daughters. Rebecca died in 1977. He married the late Eleanor Wallis in 1979.
Herkness is survived by his daughters Nancy Theodorou of Glen Ridge, NJ; and Damon Newsom of Salem, VA; as well as his grandchildren: Rebecca Theodorou, Laven Newsom, Loukas Theodorou, and Riley Newsom.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Salvation Army, 724 Dale Avenue SE, Roanoke, VA 24013 or the American Red Cross, PO Box 37839, Boone, IA 50037-0839.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 6th, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Thomas’ Church in White Sulphur Springs, WV. There will be a reception following the service at the Greenbrier Hotel. All are invited to join the family there.
The Herkness family is being served by John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home and Crematory, Salem, 540-389-5441.
Herkness was born in Plainfield, NJ, in 1917. His parents were the late Lindsay Coates Herkness and Carlota LaLanne Herkness of Philadelphia, PA. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1939 and served on destroyers in the U.S. Navy, commanding first the USS Alden and then the USS Mayo from 1943-1946. Herkness resigned from the Navy as a commander.
After leaving the Navy, Herkness worked for United Carbon in West Virginia. In 1958, he became president and CEO of Greenbrier Instruments, Inc., in Ronceverte, WV, where he worked until its purchase by Bendix Corporation in 1961. In 1964, he founded the Damon Company, a machine shop, in Salem, VA. He continued to run the company until his death. An engineer and inventor, he held three U.S. patents.
Herkness was a member of the U.S. Croquet Association and a nationally ranked player.
In 1956, he married Rebecca Cassady with whom he had two daughters. Rebecca died in 1977. He married the late Eleanor Wallis in 1979.
Herkness is survived by his daughters Nancy Theodorou of Glen Ridge, NJ; and Damon Newsom of Salem, VA; as well as his grandchildren: Rebecca Theodorou, Laven Newsom, Loukas Theodorou, and Riley Newsom.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be sent to the Salvation Army, 724 Dale Avenue SE, Roanoke, VA 24013 or the American Red Cross, PO Box 37839, Boone, IA 50037-0839.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 6th, at 11:00 a.m. at St. Thomas’ Church in White Sulphur Springs, WV. There will be a reception following the service at the Greenbrier Hotel. All are invited to join the family there.
The Herkness family is being served by John M. Oakey & Son Funeral Home and Crematory, Salem, 540-389-5441.
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