Dennis Lessal Herring, Sr.

Our beloved, Dennis L. Herring, Sr., age 76, of Elizabeth City, NC, departed from this life on Tuesday, July 2, 2025. 

A Life Celebration Service will be held on Saturday, July 12, 2025, at noon at Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, Elizabeth City, NC, with Rev. Tina Watson officiating and Rev. Walter Godfrey serving as eulogist. Interment with military rites will follow in Dove's Landing Cemetery, Elizabeth City, NC. A viewing will be held at the funeral home on Friday, from 5:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. He will also lie in state from 11:00 a.m. until the time of service. The family is receiving friends at the home of the deceased, 596 Pitts Chapel Road, Elizabeth City, NC. 

"Remembering Dennis"

Our beloved Dennis, affectionally known as Dent or Buddy to some was born on December 5, 1948 in Elizabeth City, North Carolina in a small township called Newland to Sylvester and Wilma Wilson Herring. He grew up and attended school in Elizabeth City, a place where everyone knows your name and your entire family. After graduating from P. W. Moore H.S. in 1968 and The College of the Albermarle in 1969, he followed his then girlfriend Minnie to Brooklyn, New York.  On February 14, 1970, the two married with Bishop William Johnson officiating. It was a delight for the families to unite. The two settled in Bushwick, Brooklyn surrounded by family and friends. On December 10, 1970, Dennis was drafted into the United States Army.  He told a funny story about receiving a letter from the President Nixon with something inside.  He opened the envelope and found a letter that began, “Greetings from your President…” with an MTA bus/train token inside! Dennis became a Military Police Officer and specialized in recreating accident scenes and guarding Fort Knox. He also became a sharpshooter.

The very next year, they welcomed their first child, a girl, to the family. Later, a boy and another girl joined the family. Dennis secured a position with New York Telephone, now known as Verizon. He became a technician who went into homes and businesses and climbed telephone poles to ensure that customers had service. Not only was Dennis the eldest child, but he was the eldest cousin and told of the great relationships with his grandparents, aunts and uncles. He learned so many things from their experiences.

Dennis was a born leader. In Brooklyn, when he saw that help was needed in his neighborhood, he forged The United Bushwick Block Association with other concerned neighbors in 1980. He didn’t stop there. He chaired and became president of the 83rd Precinct Community Council, the Community School District 32 School Board, the Democratic Party Club, the Ocean Hill Bushwick Bedford Stuyvesant Committee, the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children as well as Community Board 4. Dennis spearheaded yearly block parties, precinct Christmas parties as well as attended meetings and charities with city officials. Dennis was a local celebrity. Everywhere he went, people wanted to talk with him. He started a softball league with the young men in the neighborhood. Together, not only did they learn to play softball, but they took care of the block on which they lived and loved and became family. Dennis was the recipient of hundreds of awards and citations, including a model block award. He was a fierce proponent for education and doing the right thing.  

Dennis seized a myriad of opportunities that New York City had to offer, including visiting cultural institutions, restaurants, museums, sporting events, live entertainment venues and became exposed to different ethnic regions of the five boroughs. He marveled at the diversity of the city and often served as a tour guide for those visiting from Elizabeth City.  Dennis and the members of the block association as well as other community partners created and maintained a community garden, bringing a piece of his upbringing to the urban environment of Bushwick, Brooklyn.

Upon retirement, he had the fortune to move back to Elizabeth City to spend time with family and friends. He rededicated his life to the Lord and attended Mt. Carmel Missionary Baptist Church, his family’s church and became a trustee. He joined a local Democratic Party club, volunteered at Elizabeth City Schools and became the president of the River City Lions Club.   Dennis was on the Elizabeth City Solid Waste Committee and the 911 Committee. He was also a member of the Governor’s One-on-One Program. He received even more honors. Dennis was funny but opinionated, smart but serious. He was able to fix and assemble almost anything. He credited his grandfather Pop for teaching him about hunting, fishing, learning about crops as well as building and repairing. He loved it! 

Dennis was the patriarch of the Wilson and Herring family. He seriously embraced his role as the eldest. The love of his life was his family, and he offered unconditional love as only he could give. At the age of 76, he knew that he was blessed to have all eight of his siblings as well as all of his first cousins, but one. He was especially proud of his children and their accomplishments as well as the children he helped to raise. He loved to share memories about his childhood, old times with his parents and grandparents and growing up with his siblings.  

Dennis leaves to mourn his loving wife of 55 years, Minnie, affectionally known as Marie, daughter Cassandra (Rodesky), son Dennis, Jr., and daughter Maretta (Percy, Jr.), and daughter Simone (Anthony), grandsons Andrew, Marcus, Daniel and Bryan, and an only granddaughter Lauren; great grandsons Cameron and Caiden and an only great granddaughter, Aria.  He also leaves to mourn siblings Sylvester, Jr. (Gwendolyn); Willie (Priscilla); Bobby, Diane (Robert); Quintin, Michael, Sharon (Calvin) and Cassandra. He also leaves to cherish his memories hundreds of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and colleagues including two honorary brothers Lewis Bryant and Gus Sanders. Dennis was well loved, and he loved in return. After a brief illness, he departed this life on July 2, 2025, to join his loved ones.

As for now, we remember 2 Corinthians 5:8 stating, “We are confident I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord.”

Mitchell Funeral Care and Cremations is assisting the Herring family. 

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