Karl W. Hering, 83, WWII veteran, Perkin-Elmer retiree, music lover

Karl W. Hering of 70 Lee Road, a World War II veteran and longtime Perkin-Elmer employee, died Friday, June 25, at his home. He was 83 years old and the husband of Heidi Schoeffler Hering. 

A 55-year resident of Ridgefield, Mr. Hering was born on Nov. 30, 1918, in Bremerhaven, Germany. He came to this country as a youth in 1923. He received a bachelor’s degree in physics from M.I.T. in 1941 and a master’s degree from Columbia University in 1949.

He worked for the War Department in Dayton, Ohio, from 1942 to 1944 and then was in the United States Navy from 1944 until 1946, serving in the Pacific theater.

He moved to Ridgefield in 1949 when he was recruited by Perkin-Elmer. He worked at the company’s headquarters in Norwalk and later in Danbury until 1984. He remained with the company an additional five years as a consultant. He was an active member of Perkin-Elmer’s Retiree Club.

In 1954, Mr. Hering married Henrietta Hermanutz. The couple first lived on Soundview Road, but in 1957 purchased the “Picnic Hill” property on Lee Road and went on to build what they considered their “dream home.” Mrs. Hering died in 1983 and Mr. Hering later remarried. He and his wife Heidi had only recently celebrated their 20th wedding anniversary. His hobbies included reading, the piano, listening to all kinds of music (especially classical and opera), gardening and photography. He also loved to travel and had made many trips to Europe as well as touring throughout this country, Mexico and the Caribbean. During a vacation trip to Jamaica in 1996 he surprised everyone in his family by going parasailing at age 77.

His son Martin described his father as being “introspective, kind-hearted, caring, compassionate, content, thoughtful, and generous.” He added that his father “led a happy and purposeful life.”

Mr. Hering was an active member of St. Stephen’s Church. Over the years he had served there as an usher, greeter and, as his son Martin put it, “a bean counter.”

In addition to his his wife, Heidi, Mr. Hering is survived by two sons, Karl Jr. of San Diego, Calif., and Martin of Winter Park, Fla.; two grandchildren and a stepson, Scott Tydeman, a detective with the Ridgefield Police Department.

A memorial service will be held tomorrow morning at 11 at St. Andrew’s Church. The service will be there because of renovations being made to St. Stephen’s.

Contributions in Mr. Hering’s memory may be made to the Regional Hospice of Western Connecticut, 405 Main Street, Danbury, CT 06810.

06/30/2004