Donald J. "Red" Herson

DONALD JAMES "Red" HERSON, 83, died last week peacefully at home in Interlaken, NY.
Born September 3, 1929 and raised by his loving parents Edna and Mathew Herson. Don always thought he was the "luckiest kid in the world". He had one older brother, Richard whom he idolized his entire life.

Red would often tell of many childhood stories of running through the roof tops of Ithaca to get back to the Victoria Hotel. Often he was running away from some mischief that he had a part in like stealing Cornell freshman beanies, dropping water bombs from atop the hotel roof, and parking his bike and escaping the nuns by jumping out of his Immaculate Conception schoolroom.
He loved spending his younger years with his favorite cousins Pat and Jack Angell and told of his many happy days at Myers Point both as a child and adult. His true love for Cayuga Lake was instilled very early on.

Don graduated from Ithaca High School in 1948. After graduation, he served in the Air Force and was a member of the Colorado Springs Swim Team. He would still boast that he was never beaten in the 50 meter freestyle. Returning home, he started his 42 year career at NYSE&G. Working at NYSE&G, Red formed many lifetime friendships and loved to share his memories of the trips and projects that they worked on together. He retired proudly in 1993 as a Line Foreman.
Red was competitive in basketball and golf leagues. He came to golf late in life, but it quickly became a passionate hobby. His favorite golf spot was Bonavista where he had a regular date with his best golf partner "Joe Par Joe". Don was also a lifelong and diehard Ithaca High and Cornell Hockey fan.
Don made his home on Cayuga Lake for the last 50 years. His cottage "Chippewa" was his favorite spot. He would tell the story that he made an offer and bought his cottage "before the For Sale sign could be pounded into the ground". Red was one of the last Victrola lake trout fishermen on Cayuga, and had recently caught a couple of "keepers" while copper fishing with his family. Winters in recent years were spent in Florida soaking up the sunshine.

Don is survived by his four children; son and daughter-in-law Dave and Tracy Herson of Roseville, CA; son Tom Herson of La Grange, GA; daughter Marianne Behrens and Ben Wilson of Franklin, GA; and daughter Susie Herson and Steve "Beav" Long of Hampton Falls, NH. He is also survived by his three grandsons, Jack, Owen and Will Barry, and his wife Catherine Herson of Ithaca.
He was preceded in death by his parents Mathew and Edna Herson, and his brother Richard Herson.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated by Fr. Jeffrey Tunnicliff on Monday, August 12, 2013 at 10 a.m. at the Immaculate Conception. Private interment will be held at Calvary Cemetery. The family will receive friends following the mass at a celebration of Red's life beginning at 1 p.m. at the North Point Pavilion at Taughannock Falls State Park.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Don's name to Ithaca Youth Hockey Association, P O Box 391, Ithaca, NY 14851, ithacayouthhockey.com. Bangs Funeral Home is assisting the family.