Patricia Rustad Herrmann

Patricia Lee Rustad Herrmann, fondly known as Tish, passed away peacefully on March 21, 2023 at the age of 89.

Tish was born in South Dakota and later moved to Virginia when her father went to work for the Treasury Department. She graduated from William and Mary where she was crowned Homecoming Queen and earned a degree in Elementary Education. There she met the love of her life, W.J. “Shorty” Herrmann.  The two were wed in 1955 and modeled 39 years of exemplary marriage before Shorty’s death in 1994. Together they leave a legacy of four sons, four daughters-in-love, nine grandchildren, and sixteen great-grandchildren

Tish worked for the Cumberland County School Board and consistently volunteered at the voting polls in every neighborhood she lived in.

She was a faithful Sunday School teacher for nearly 60 years at Village Drive Baptist Church, Snyder Memorial Baptist Church and Elizabethtown Baptist Church. She was a serious student of the Bible and a devoted prayer warrior, spending many hours a day in prayer for her family and friends. Tish was a friend to the friendless and a helper to the needy.

Tish loved a good game of bridge, cribbage, charades, or whatever else was being played.  Playing games was a daily part of family life, and she and Shorty taught their family that having fun was more important than winning.

An excellent hostess, Tish enjoyed having folks into her home, none more than her family.  As her sons married and their family grew, Tish and Shorty fulfilled a shared dream of building a cabin where their family could gather for holidays and any days to enjoy each other. And enjoy each other they did.

Tish enjoyed traveling with Shorty, and later with her mother and brother, Bob. She was well-educated, but greater still was a wise woman who bestowed wisdom and blessing to all who knew her. Always a lady, Tish will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved her.

Tish was preceded in death by her parents Elmer and Berniece Rustad, her husband Walter John Herrmann, Jr., and her daughter-in-love Angela Bowen Herrmann.

She leaves behind four sons who rise and call her blessed, Chris (JoAnne) of Raleigh, Bruce (Becky) of Fayetteville, Brett of Fuquay-Varina, and Shawn (Leanne) Herrmann of Smithfield. Her grandchildren who lovingly call her ‘Grammy’ include Michael Herrmann, Erin McCoy, Katie Byrd, Nathan Herrmann, Jamison Kelley, Rachel Taylor, Abbey Wedgeworth, Calllihan Herrmann, and Patrick Herrmann. She was blessed to love and be loved by 16 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her brother and lifelong friend, Robert Rustad of Winston-Salem.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 1:00 pm on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at Snyder Memorial Baptist Church, 701 Westmont Drive, Fayetteville, NC with visitation to occur after the service. *The service will be live streamed via http://snydermbc.com

The family would like to extend heartfelt thanks to Cameron McGill at Lake Church. Tish faithfully listened to his morning devotions and weekly sermons during her illness.  The family is also deeply appreciative to the staff at the Kitty Askins Hospice House in Goldsboro who cared for Tish with great skill and compassion during her final weeks of life.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Lake Church at 1930 White Lake Drive, White Lake, NC 28337 or to Kitty Askins Hospice House at 107 Handley Park Court, Goldsboro, NC 27534.

Services entrusted to the care of Howell Funeral Home & Crematory in Goldsboro.

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