Herrington, Nevis Hall, 87, of Seminole, FL, was taken peacefully to heaven while he was sleeping in the morning of March 25, 2021.   He was born February 24, 1934 in rural Mississippi.  The son of sharecroppers, Earl Benjamin, and Ruby Sutton Herrington, who gradually saved enough money to buy a small farm, acre by acre, outside of Prentiss, MS.   Nevis remembered moving their belongings in a wagon drawn by a mule to a home with no electricity or running water.  His family did not have running water or electricity till he was 16 years old.

Early in life he learned the value of an education.  He studied diligently at night by an oil lamp after working in the cotton fields every day after school.  Upon graduation from Prentiss High School, he received a scholarship to Mississippi College and later a scholarship to Vanderbilt University. An offer to teach at St Petersburg High School drew him to Florida in 1958.  He was an active faculty member and served as a class sponsor and supported the students in many activities.  He was chosen to serve on a committee of teachers to develop a new course called "Americanism vs. Communism" which was mandated by the state legislature to be a requirement for graduation from high school.

In 1966, he was offered a teaching position at St. Petersburg Junior College (now SPC) in the Social and Behavioral Sciences Department.  During this same time, he was an adjunct instructor at Eckerd College and taught in the Peace Corps program at USF.  He enjoyed his college students and sponsored the Eta Nu Chapter of Phi Theta Kappa.  Working cooperatively with the students, they were actively involved in many campus and community activities.  The chapter won several national awards and in 1979 Nevis was admitted into the Phi Theta Kappa Hall of Honor.  In 1981, he was awarded the Distinguished Sponsor Award.

In 1979, Nevis was called to serve as Assistant to the President at SPJC.  He assumed several different administrative roles and enjoyed each one of them.  He particularly enjoyed traveling to Russia with the president of SPJC to assist the government in improving and enlarging their post-secondary education offerings to their citizens.  He made friends while there and he and Kate entertained several Russian state government officials when they came here to observe operations at SPJC.  Nevis retired in1997 as Vice-President for Human Resources.

Nevis was a resident of Seminole for 51 years.  He served as parliamentarian for the incorporation of the city of Seminole.  He was a charter member of the Seminole Evening Sertoma Club and received an award for his outstanding service to the community and to the club.  He served as President of the Board of Directors of the Mental Health Association of Upper Pinellas County, now known as Directions.  During his working years and retirement days he was always a generous blood donor and received an award when he reached the five-gallon mark.  During this same time he served as a volunteer in the emergency room at Morton Plant Hospital.  He worked tirelessly every Tuesday evening for many years, even on holidays such as Christmas.  His philosophy was that was when the medical staff had the greatest need for volunteers.  He received an award when he reached 10,000 hours of volunteer service and just kept on giving.

Nevis was a Christian from his early childhood. He was a member of Seminole First Baptist Church where he served on many committees to further the work of the church.  He was an adult Bible study teacher for most of his lifetime at every church where he had been a member.

He believed the teachings of Christ directed his political interests, and his political leanings were reinforced by the good done by President FDR during Nevis' early days; and he never wavered. While working on the campaign to elect President Jimmy Carter, he and Kate had the pleasure of meeting then candidate Carter.  When Carter was elected president, Nevis received an invitation to his inauguration which was a thrill for this lifelong history and government student.  Nevis enjoyed a long and active retirement and traveled the world with his wife Kate. He also enjoyed frequent trips to his tree farm in Prentiss with children and grandchildren. He was never happier than when he was riding a tractor and bush hogging fields or riding an ATV on the trails on his farm.  He loved being a farmer.   Nevis loved his large family and was loved in return.  They enjoyed many wonderful times together throughout his lifetime.

He was predeceased by his parents, three brothers and two sisters.  He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Kate Kuhns Herrington; six children, Deborah Herrington (husband Roy Miller), Susan Meisner, Danny Herrington, Diane Herrington, Gina Engerer (Dale), and Dr. Brett Herrington (Coree); eleven grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews.

A Celebration of Life service will be held May 8 at 10:00 AM at Seminole First Baptist Church.  Because of the continuing severity of COVID-19, all CDC protocols will be in place to protect everyone attending. Masks required.  No reception will be held afterwards. Casual dress please.  If you wish, memorial donations may be made to Florida Sheriffs Youth Ranches, the Parkinson's Foundation, or to Seminole First Baptist Church.