Rod Herrick

MILLEDGEVILLE – Rod A. Herrick of Otter Creek Drive, Milledgeville, passed away at home, Friday morning, Feb. 5, 2010, surrounded by his family and many friends.
 Rod was born to Ted Herrick and Melva Herrick Stolpa in Oskaloosa Iowa, on Sept. 21, 1947. He graduated from Milledgeville High School in 1965. He proudly served his country in the Army Military Police in Vietnam and Germany from October 1966 through September 1969. Rod married Sara Jane Kreider on Oct. 10, 1970, and they have one son, Pete Herrick.

Rod continued his career with law enforcement for more than 40 years with Milledgeville Police Department, Carroll County Sheriff’s Office, and Whiteside County Sheriff’s Office. He served 13 years as a volunteer firefighter and EMT with the Milledgeville Fire Department. Rod was a life member of Veterans of Foreign Wars Savanna Post 2223, a life member of Illinois Sheriff’s Association, and a member of Carroll County Haiti Mission Project.

He was awarded the Army Commendation Medal and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry for actions during the Tet Offensive in 1968. During his career in law enforcement, Rod introduced the first organized child fingerprinting protection program in Carroll County, set up the first computerized record-keeping system for a department in the county, and focused on child safety through programs throughout the community.

Rod enjoyed fishing, hunting, camping, golf, and carpentry.

Rod Herrick is survived by his son and daughter-in-law, Pete and Tessa Herrick of Matthews, N.C.; his mother, Melva (Sayer Herrick) Stolpa of Pitkin, La.; two sisters, Pam Willis of Pitkin, La., and Patty Malone of Alexandria, La.; his former wife, Sara Jane (Kreider) Herrick of Milledgeville; as well as many very close friends who shared an admiration for the man who taught them patience, confidence, charity, grace, and strength.

He was preceded in death by his father. Ted; stepfather, John Stolpa; and two brothers, Kevin Herrick and Rick Herrick.

At his request, no service or memorial will be held, just remembrance in personal thoughts. If friends are moved to do so, two memorials have been established to Hospice of the Rock River Valley, which supported, loved and comforted Rod and those around him during his final 5 days, and Carroll County Haiti Mission Project, with which Rod worked for many years, assisting in the building of a medical facility in Haiti and caring for hundreds of Haitians.