Fernando Herrera

Fernando Anthony Herrera 07/22/1942-03/14/2023

Services to be held March 24, 2023 at Our Lady of Grace Catholic Church
9:30 a.m. Rosary, 10:00 a.m. Mass

Fernando was born in Long Beach, California to Florencio and Consuelo Herrera, he was their oldest child. He enlisted in the U.S. Army after high school where he trained as a radio room operator. He served in Vietnam as part of MAG-V during the initial troop build-up in 1961-62. Upon returning home, he attended college and was eventually employed by North American Aviation where he became part of the Apollo Project. When the project ended, he worked as a quality inspector at a plastics plant. On June 11, 1966 he married Leah Margaret Trembley, of Artesia, New Mexico, they had four children. They moved to Artesia in 1973, when he began working at Navajo refining company. He was employed with Navajo until medical issues forced him to retire in 1986. In his last years, he enjoyed spending holidays and summers in California visiting family. He enjoyed following all sports, with the Bulldogs, Angels, and Lobos at the top of his list. He rarely missed a game, between attending games at the bowl, watching on tv, or listening on the radio, he followed.

He passed peacefully in bed, surrounded by family, friends, and loved ones. Fernando is survived by his brothers; Joseph, Ron, and Ray, sisters; Juliet and Jeanette, children; Glen, Gerald, Margaret, and Kevin, grandchildren; Christopher, Katarina, Jonathon, Jordan, Sylvia, Austin, Dustin, and Kylie, great grandchildren; Bailee, Natalie, Ricardo, Robert, Radlee, Audrey, Catalaya, Kaleb, Addison, Natalia, Elena, and Trenton. He is also survived by his common-law wife Vanda Lockhart, her daughter Julie Gomez, and her children and grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his brother Hector, and his parents, Florencio and Consuelo.