N Herke

Naomi, preferring to go by her middle name Geraldine, was born in Sayre, Oklahoma on September 1, 1941 to Deward and Willa Hambrook. Growing up on farms, she helped with feeding calves on the bucket and gathering the eggs along with many other chores of ranching life. She moved to Yakima as a teenager and graduated from Davis High School in 1959. Married to Joseph Herke on November 3, 1961 in Coeur d’Alene, they began a life together on the family farm growing hops and expanding into fruit, mainly apples, and into excavation. She was a modern day pioneer, being the first lady to drive the baled hops into the Union Gap Steins warehouse. They were blessed with three children: Carl Joseph Herke, Elizabeth Ann (Joseph) Stump and Teresa Marie (Patrick) Long. Geraldine was also a vivacious home economics/family living teacher at the West Valley High School for 12 years and then spent 11 years at the West Valley Junior High as a health teacher. Touching many lives in that manner, she is well remembered for her spirited and engaging personality. In addition, she was highly involved in the Cowiche Grange in the First and Second degree dancing teams as well as modeling, the First Baptist Church in Tieton, and the Cowiche Catholic Church. Many hours of service was donated as a Cub Scout leader and then into many years of sports support for her children. Her hobbies were riding motorcycles, going to the mountains, and enjoying gardening, canning and sewing. In later years, she adventured multiple times to Europe and Washington DC, twice to Alaska, and then once to Australia and New Zealand. She is survived by her husband, Joseph; her two daughters, Elizabeth (Joseph) Stump and Teresa (Patrick) Long; her mother, Willa; her four brothers, Tom (LaNay), Irving (Ginny), Steve (Daphne), and Sandy Hambrook; and her seven grandchildren, Ahnalee Herke, Paul Herke, Brian Stump, Lana (Ben) Jochen, Cody Long, Caitlin Long, and Cotton Long. Her son, Carl Herke, preceded her in death in 2005. Her life will be celebrated on Friday, the 17th of July at 11:00 at West Side Church (6901 Summitview Avenue). In loving remembrance of your zest for life, fire for the Lord, and love for your family. We will miss you. To order memorial trees or send flowers to the family in memory of N Herke, please visit our flower store.