John M. Herrera

April 5, 1923 - January 10, 2016

It is with sadness that we announce the glorious salvation of John Manuel Herrera on Sunday, January 10, 2016. John was born to the late John Herrera and Refugio Dominguez Herrera of Pedernales, Chihuahua Mexico on (Dads birthday about here) and the family lived in Casper WY before eventually settling in the state of Washington in1942. As a young man, John distinguished himself in World War II in the Central European Theatre under the auspice of the 35th infantry Division, 137th regiment, participating in the Battle of the Bulge as an Infantry Squad Leader and Staff seargent and earning a Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart, Victory Medal, European African Middle Eastern Medal, Combat Infantryman Badge and Good Conduct Medal. Shortly after his honorable discharge from the Army in 1945, John returned to the Yakima Valley and his young bride, Salley Fonceca Herrera, who he had married in 1943 and became a Teamsters Union Member. Suffice it to say over the course of the next twenty years; John was employed in the construction of numerous hydraulic dam construction projects, along the Columbia River, (including the McNary Dam, the Dallas Dam, John Day Dam, Priest Rapids Dam and Ice Harbor Dam). Unfortunately in his early forties, John suffered an occupational injury that required a number of back surgeries and a training apprenticeship in car upholstery and window glass repair and for the next fifteen years, John was employed as a Master upholster with H & H Auto Upholstery in Sunnyside WA, eventually retiring from his own upholstery shop and business, Johns’ Auto Upholstery and Glass, in Toppenish WA. John is survived by his sons John (Gina) Herrera Ph.D. of Los Angeles and Christopher Herrera of Pasco, Washington; grandchildren David (Maria) Herrera of Chicago Illinois, Sonya (Eugene) Clark Herrera of San Francisco California, Christopher Herrera Jr. and Jacy Herrera of Pasco Washington; great grandchildren Eldridge Clark Herrera, Micaela Carolina Clark Herrera (of San Francisco California), Isabela Marie Herrera and Gabriela Herrera (of Chicago Illinois) and his sisters; Shirley (Salvador) Padilla, Ramona (Felix) DelVillar, Mary (Jess) Leija, Henrietta (Sam) Alvarez and Ruth (Hilario) Juarez, as well as numerous nieces and nephews. Preceding John in death were his parents, John Herrera and Refugio Dominguez Herrera, infant son David, his wife Sallye (of 59 years), his daughter-in-law Micaela and his brother Joe Herrera and wife, Bernice. A Rosary services will be held at 5:00 pm, Monday, January 18, 2016 at Colonial Funeral Home with Mass of Christian burial will be at 10:00, Tuesday, January 19, 2016 at St. Aloysius Catholic Church with burial to follow at Lower Valley Memorial Gardens. The family would like to give a special thank you to the medical and nursing staff at Avalon Health and Rehabilitation in Pasco for their care and compassion and Heggie’s Colonial Funeral Home for their support and direction, in making funeral arrangements. Friends can send condolences at www.toppenishfunerals.com. Colonial Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.