John Edward Herweh

John Edward Herweh entered into the presence of his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, on August 9, 2023 at the age of 93. He was a beloved husband, brother, father, father-in-law, granddad and uncle and a longtime member of Trinity Lutheran Church in Lancaster. John was born in the Bronx to the late John Phillip and Emily (Reiger) Herweh. He went to Concordia High School and Junior College, where he pitched a no-hitter as a left-hander. He received his Bachelor of Science and Masters degrees from the University of Virginia and went on to work at Armstrong World Industries as a research chemist, where he met his wife and “sweetie” of sixty-six years, Patricia Boone Herweh. John and Pat lived in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, where they raised their four children. Over the decades, this family grew to include ten grandchildren and ten great-grandchildren. Generous and loving, John was the perfect dad and granddad, always willing to help his children with their home projects whether it be painting, trimming Christmas trees, or gardening. An avid hunter, gardener, and fisherman, he enjoyed time outdoors with his family and dogs. Over the years, John had three Weimaraners and a German Shorthair, Misty. Misty would go everywhere with him, including morning coffee trips en route to the garden at his daughter Jennifer’s house. Among the extended family’s dogs, he quickly became known as the “biscuit man” and always had some treats handy to endear the family’s furry, four-legged members to him. Although John loved being at home, he would make the exception for traveling with family to Montana, Idaho, and the Outer Banks where he could pursue his passion for the outdoors in much-loved places with much-loved people. He also enjoyed going to his daughter and son-in-law’s, Lynne and Rick's, cabin in Deerfield, Virginia. When he wasn’t outside, John was keeping meticulous records of everything from gas mileage to garden yields to hunting trip logs. He enjoyed making his hand-pressed apple cider, homemade bread, and pheasant chili. John was truly devoted to his family and in Heaven, he was welcomed by his precious granddaughter, Kristin Lynn Palazzo. John is survived by his beloved wife, Pat; his children Lynne (Richard, "the Counselor") Palazzo of Manheim, PA; Jennifer (David) Dickinson of Millersville, PA; Kathy (Dr. Richard) Simons of Hummelstown, PA; and Lt. Colonel (RET) John Boone (Virginia "Dixie") Herweh of South Dakota; ten grandchildren: Dr. Stephanie Palazzo (Thomas Knickman), Dr. Rebecca (Josh) Medlin, Sarah (Jeremy) Good, Rachel (Timothy) Latham, Tabitha (Marcus) Greer, Daniel (Maranda) Smith, John Gabriel Herweh, Liberty Faith Herweh, and Carolina Hope Herweh; and ten great-grandchildren: Nora Knickman, Phoebe Medlin, Hannah Good, Aaron Good, Ruth Latham, Matthew Greer, Garret Smith, Kensley Smith, Amelia Smith, and Wyatt Smith; and his sister, Virginia Friess. He was predeceased by his half-brother, Ronald Poulos. Relatives and friends are invited to John’s Funeral Service on Thursday, August 17, 2023 at 10:30 a.m. with Chaplain Wayne Cooley officiating at the Groff Family Funeral Home, 528 West Orange Street, Lancaster, PA 17603. A Viewing will be held from 9:30 a.m. until the time of service. Private interment will be held at Kraybill Mennonite Cemetery of Mount Joy, PA. In lieu of flowers, please make a memorial donation in John’s name to the Kristin Palazzo Memorial Visual Arts Endowment at Lancaster Mennonite at www.lancastermennonite.org or Homestead Village Endowment Fund at www.homestead village.org. The family is so grateful to Homestead Village, particularly the staff at Fickes and Harvest Houses, where they treated him with much love and respect for four years as he fought a good fight against Alzheimer’s Disease.