Born on Nov. 5, 1931, Elouise Woods Herring is the daughter of Mary “Callie” Woods Shaw and John Shaw, of Madison.
Herring converted at an early age, and attended Jeslamb A.M.E. Church, in Hanson. Later in life, Elouise joined Evergreen Missionary Baptist Church and Pineland Missionary Baptist Church where she remained a faithful and humble servant until her passing. She was joined in Holy Matrimony to Thomas Herring Sr., of Madison. From this union, seven children were born.
Elouise worked proudly and diligently for Madison County Memorial Hospital for 31 years before her retirement.
She departed this life on Saturday, Sept. 25, 2021, at Lake Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, in Madison. She was preceded in death by her parents, Mary Woods Shaw and John Shaw; husband, Thomas Herring Sr.; sister, Juanita Haynes; brother, Howard Johnson Sr.; and great granddaughter, Danisha Jackson.
Left to cherish Elouise's fond and precious memories are, four sons: Thomas Herring Jr., of Madison; Nathaniel (Priscilla) Herring Sr. and Ronald (Cassandra) Herring, both of Valdosta, Ga.; and Andre' D. Herring, of Tallahassee, Fla.; three daughters: Barbara (Donald) Williams and Juanita (Gregory) Anderson, of Valdosta, Ga.; and Willene Herring, of Madison; eight grandchildren: Nathaniel (Ronika) Herring Jr., of Chester Va.; Dimitri (Destiny) Herring, of North Augusta, S.C.; Gregory (Katie) Anderson II, of Macon, Ga.; Kortnie Page, of Palm Coast, Fla.; Quinton Herring (Christin), of Valdosta, Ga.; Dominique Jackson of Ozark, Ala.; Dantavious (India) Jackson, of Atlanta, Ga.; and Dynesitnie Jackson, of Atlanta, Ga.; Charlenia M. Herring – mother of grandsons, Nathaniel Herring Jr. and Dimitri Herring, of Chester, Va.; 13 great grandchildren; sister-in-law, Beatrice Baker of St. Petersburg, Fla.; nieces: Mildred Davis and Mary Ford, of Madison, Monique Baker of St. Petersburg, Fla.; Mary Hanes, of Madison and Louise Hill (Rudolph), of Jacksonville, Fla.; all of who were like daughters to her; goddaughter, Dorothy Alexander, of Madison; nephews: Howard Johnson Jr. (Patricia), of Madison; Pablo Baker, of St. Petersburg, Fla.; and Eddie Rayford, of Newport News, Va.; Minnie Martin, of Madison, who was like a sister to her; as well as a host of other nieces, nephews, family and friends.
Cooks and Cooper Funeral Home, located at 162 SW Third Ave., in Madison, will be hosting visitation services on Friday, Oct. 1, from 2 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. A lawnside service will be held on Saturday, Oct. 2, at 3 p.m at Pineland Missionary Baptist Church, 205 SE Old Country Camp Road, in Madison. The eulogist will be Pastor O'Hara C. Black of Pineland Missionary Baptist Church.