Bruce A. Hering

To join the livestream broadcast of Bruce's funeral service, please select the link below. The livestream will begin at 12:55 P.M., Tuesday, October 1, 2024. The video of the service will be available for viewing for 90 days following the funeral ceremony. https://view.oneroomstreaming.com/index.php?data=MTcyNzQ2MjE4MjMzMDE4MCZvbmVyb29tLWFkbWluJmNvcHlfbGluaw== Bruce Arthur Hering, age 77, a resident of rural Vienna, Illinois, passed away Tuesday afternoon, September 24, 2024, at 2:45 PM at Alive Hospice in Nashville, Tennessee. Bruce was born March 24, 1947 in Bergen County, New Jersey. He was the son of Edmund Manuel Hering (1909 – 1968) and Sylvia (Quackenbush) Hering (1909-1996). Bruce is a descendant of Peter (sic) Haring (1633-1683) and Grieje Cozyns (1634 – 1724) both of whom were born in Holland. Bruce’s mother, Sylvia, excelled in athletics in high school and received awards in track & field as well as basketball. She was employed by the MEM Company in New York, a men’s perfumery manufacturing business. During World War II, Sylvia was employed as a factory worker. Bruce’s father, Edmund, was a well-known pigeon racer, prior to being drafted into the pigeon corps and he served in the European theater of operation during World War II. Following his military service, Edmund was employed as a bookkeeper and served as manager of the Meadow Brook Nursery in New Jersey. He assisted with landscaping for the St. Lawrence Seaway. Later, Edmund served as the manager of a golf course. In his retirement, Edmund raised and trained English Pointer Bird Dogs in Johnson County Illinois on the old Everett Willaims farm near Tunnel Hill. Both Edmund and Sylvia were born in New Jersey and both passed away in Johnson County Illinois. Bruce was a 1961 graduate of the Norwood (N.J.) Public School and a member of the 1965 graduating class of Northern Valley Regional High School in Old Tappan, New Jersey. Bruce attended the University of Louisville, Kentucky as well as Lincoln College in Illinois. Bruce earned a Masters Degree in Education from Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. In high school, Bruce was the lead singer for the rock-n-roll band, Fish & Chips. The band had a top 20 hit in the 1960’s “Four Times Faster.” The band played many night clubs on the east coast as well as performing at Palisades Park in Bergen County, New Jersey. Fish & Chips opened for a number of rock-n-roll bands of the era, including The Rolling Stones. Bruce was employed as the manager of the sporting goods department at the J.C. Penney Department Store in Carbondale as well as the sporting goods department of the Coast-to-Coast Hardware Store in Mt. Vernon. After moving to Carbondale to attend S.I.U., Bruce met his future wife, Marilyn Schaumleffel, in 1970. They were united in marriage in 1975 in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. They moved to Johnson County in 1979. In addition to his wife, Bruce is survived by cousins, including – Mildred Supplee of Florida, Daniel (Sherry) Schaumleffel of Pope County Illinois and Diana (John) Cramer of Fulton, Missouri. Bruce was a lifelong educator and sportsman. He began his teaching career at the Vienna Correctional Center as the game management instructor through Southeastern Illinois College in April 1981. Through Bruce’s leadership, the game bird management program raised as many as 30,000 quail and pheasants for Illinois Department of Conservation, as well as various clubs and preserves throughout the region. As the correctional system changed it’s focus, Bruce transferred to the Harrisburg campus of Southeastern Illinois College. Bruce taught a full program in game preserve management and shooting complex management. He, along with his students, traveled to and refereed many national sport clay shooting competitions. Bruce was a State of Illinois Safety Instructor and Level III Sporting Clays Instructor for the National Clay Association. Bruce retired from Southeastern Illinois College in May 2018. Bruce was an avid deer, duck, goose and woodcock hunter. He enjoyed fly fishing and crafting his own fly fishing lures. Bruce also was a skilled archer. He raised and enjoyed showing gait horses. Bruce had a great sense of adventure. He was a member of the A.M.M. (American Mountain Men) Association since 1978. He was honored to hold membership # 761. Bruce was also a member of the National Sporting Clays Association, Quail Unlimited, Ducks Unlimited, Parker Gun Collectors Association, the contemporary Long Rifle Association, the Lefever Long Arms Association, and the Harrisburg (IL) Gun Club. He served as a field representative for the National Muzzle Loading Rifle Association. Bruce also served as a consultant with the Integrated Wildlife & Agriculture Resource management where he worked with shooting preserves and hunt leases. Bruce was slated to be the recipient of the Hal duPont Service Award during the National Sporting Clays Association Hall of Fame induction in San Antonio, Texas in October 2024. Bruce operated a wholesale black powder distribution business, serving a five state area. He and Marilyn operated the “Shawnee Tradin’ Post” black powder distribution business. Bruce also hand crafted black powder firearms. Funeral services will be held Tuesday afternoon, October 1, 2024, at 1 P.M. at Bailey Funeral Home in Vienna. Pastor Tom Loyd will officiate. Burial will be in the Vienna Fraternal Cemetery. Visitation will be held Tuesday, October 1, 2024 from 10 A.M. until the funeral hour at 1 P.M. at the funeral home. Memorials may be made to Quail Forever, Inc., 1783 Buerkle Circle, St. Paul, Minnesota 55110 or online by visiting www.quailforever.org

Bruce A. Hering

March 24, 1947 - September 24, 2024