Richard (Dick) Herzing was born on July 16, 1942 to Edith and John Herzing in Bronx, N.Y.
He passed away on June 27, 2023.
Growing up, Dick spent many hours playing ball in the courtyards. His brother Greg said that Dick was the biggest kid in the group and nobody messed with him or his sisters…”he was our protector.” Greg went on to say that “Dick had a big heart and was truly loved by his friends.”
Dick went on to play football, along with basketball and baseball at Fordham Prep.
After graduating, he attended Marquette University in Milwaukee for one year, then transferred to Drake University, where he played football for three years, graduating with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Journalism.
In 1967 Dick played with the Green Bay Packers (under Vince Lombardi) winning the first Super Bowl that year. Then he was traded to the N.Y. Giants where he played for two more years.
In the early 70’s Dick managed a pub in Jackson Heights, Queens. A couple of years later, he and a good friend, John Lium, whom he meant while playing for the Giants, purchased and remodeled “The Stablemates Pub”…where he acquired many new lifetime friends.
Also in the mid 70’s, Dick and two of his other lifetime buddies, Micki and Wayne, lived in a two-story building in Queens which they called “The Singles Only Building.”
The three buddies decided to pay the “cigar-smokin’ landlord, Louie,” to immediately bring any new “stewardesses” moving into the building, to meet them first before anyone else had a chance.
That is how Dick met his future wife, Pam.
Dick and Pam summered in the Hamptons thoughout the 70’s where they made many lifelong friends.
They moved to East Quogue year round in 1984, and something happened a year later that would change Dick’s life forever….he had a son!
He soon would sell the pub in Queens, and decided to take up a new profession….Mr. Mom!
A few years later, when Derik was about 5 and starting “little league,” Dick became the coach that he always wanted to be.
He coached both the boys and the girls Little League teams. Soon Dick discovered that the girls were more sensitive to his “coach’s voice” and he started bringing tape to cover his mouth, which made the girls laugh, and love him even more.
A few years later, Dick became involved with the East End P.A.L. with his good friend, Jim Goery.
Dick ran P.A.L. and their golf fund raiser for over 20 years.
He also was a member of the Westhampton St. Patrick’s DayCommittee, and was the M.C. for the parade for almost 30 years
Dick worked for R.C.F. Fuel in Hampton Bay for many years until he retired around 2018.,
After retirement, he so enjoyed hanging out with buddies down at his old boat marina, and going to lunch with the guys.
Dick was a man that loved to bust chops and even ruffle a few feathers here and there…but if you looked close enough, you would soon realize that this was just a ruse to help hide his big heart, along with the love and kindness he had for everyone.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Edith and John Herzing, and sister, Edith (Bubbles) Herzing,
and some of his closest friends.
Dick is survived by his son, Derik, Pam Chance Herzing, his brother Greg, his sister Laurie, and a community of wonderful friends.
A celebration of Dick’s life will be held on July 22 at 11 a.m. at the Westhampton Presbyterian Church
In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Southampton Town P.A.L. P.O. Box 202 Westhampton, N.Y. 11978.
2023-07-17