Ralph Raymond Herron Jr., 92, passed into heaven March 3, 2026, at the cottage on Fisher Ford Rd Lancaster KY. He was born in Richmond, VA. April 2, 1933 to the late Ralph and Mary Herron and preceded in death by his wife of 74 years whom he loved dearly Patricia Lucas Herron who had been waiting for him since her passing on July 3, 2025. He had three brothers Fred (in heaven), Richard (in heaven), Brian (Alice), and sister Carolyn. He was a loving father to five children, Ray, Sheri (Greg), Becky (Randy), Joel (in heaven), Jesse (Linda); and loved and adored his 14 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren who called him PaPa. Ralph was the son of a Navy Lt. Commander and traveled across the states and to Honolulu Hawaii. Ralph was an 8-year-old boy there when his mom and his 2 brothers watched the attack in the skies as bombs were dropped on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. His dad’s ship, the North Hampton, was out at sea.

Ralph Jr. met Patricia Lucas in Green Cove Springs, Florida where his dad was stationed after the war. Her mother insisted he go with her to First Baptist Church if he wanted to date her. It was there he was saved on January 10th, 1951 and baptized January 14th, 1951 at the age of 17. They soon were married. They loved and served the Lord together all their days. They moved to Titusville, Florida and he worked for 33 years at the Kennedy Space Center as a communications engineer and supervisor in the instrumentation group on the Apollo space program, culminating in the first Americans walking on the moon. He saw and was a part of many launches, rockets, and shuttles.

He loved his churches, especially Temple Baptist in Titusville, Florida where pastor Wendell Correll “Preached the ageless gospel in the Space Age Capital”. He was a soul-winner, S.S teacher, superintendent, deacon, sang in the choir and for specials…” Win the Lost at any Cost”, and “How Great Thou Art”. He had a hobby bee business his motto being “No bees- no honey; no work- no money” and built up to 400+ colonies. He gave us a love for honey, orange trees, ambrosia, turtles, frogs, gators, fishing, fish frys, camping, Rock Springs, gardens, peach trees, Alaska salmon, and the Smokey Mountains where he built his dream home in Maggie Valley, NC, and spent his retirement of 28+ years. He loved his Heavenly Father our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ and God’s Holy Word. If you want to see our dad again you must trust Jesus and be saved. Romans 10:9.

Funeral service will be held at 11:00 am Saturday, March 7, 2026 at Unity Baptist Church in Danville, KY. Visitation will be 10:00 am until service time at the church.

Burial will be held Tuesday, March 10, 2026 at 10:00 am in Hickory Grove Cemetery, 1838-1844 Idlewild Ave, Green Cove Springs, FL 32043.