Gregory Jon Herr, 70, of Waynesboro, Tennessee passed away Tuesday, April 7, 2026. Born on June 12, 1955 in Battle Creek, Michigan to Russell Wendell and Barbara Ann Herr, Greg grew up and attended Springfield Schools graduating from Springfield High with the class of 1973. At the age of 12, Greg was climbing a tree and grabbed ahold of an electrical line and survived by the grace of God, simply by the rubber in the soles of his shoes, and his Aunt Mary. Greg would meet the first love of his life, Janet Joyce Salik whom he would marry in the fall of 1976 and go on to have two daughters, Jessica and Gabrielle. Greg worked and retired as a supervisor from the Water Department for the City of Battle Creek after faithfully working for over 30 years. Greg then went back to college and obtained his Licensed Practical Nursing degree where he would go on to faithfully work at Bronson Methodist Hospital in Kalamazoo. Greg retired in November of 2017 to stay at home and care for Jan as she went through her Glioblastoma diagnosis. Jan passed away in July of 2018. Greg was fortunate enough to meet the second love of his life Penny Jo and the two bonded and married on January 8, 2022. Deciding to move to Tennessee for the winter months, the two traveled and made many wonderful memories. During the early years of his girls growing up, Greg and Jan would together raise their family in Bellevue and later Delton, serving as 4-H leaders and being a horse show ‘dad’ for his girls every weekend and fair week one was happening. It was also in Delton that Greg would fulfill a lifelong dream of joining and faithfully serving on the Delton Hope Fire Department for many years. Greg also had a passion for raising and hunting coon dogs, being partial to his Walker Treeing Coonhounds, hunting and participating in many hunts throughout the state of Michigan and nation. His greatest joy was his kids and grandkids and he was immensely proud of them all.
Greg was preceded in death by his parents Russ and Barb, and his first wife Janet.
He leaves to cherish his memories with his beloved wife Penny Jo and daughters Jessica Hamilton (Kevin), Gabrielle Haywood; Stepchildren, Jessica Abson and Just Huss and sister Deborah Vanderford (Bob). He also leaves behind his grandchildren, Christopher and Clayton Hamilton and Jonathan Haywood, Aubree Abson, Austin Abson, Gavin Huss and multiple nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews.
