Roy J. Herte

West Point, 1951

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Dick Breakiron on October 14, 2005:

The following appeared in the Monterey Herald on 10/13/2005. Roy Jacob Herte Jr. 1/22/1929 - 10/11/2005. Roy Jacob Herte, Jr. passed away with his family by his side on Monday, October 11th, 2005. Roy and his wife Mary Ann had recently celebrated their 46th wedding anniversary and he leaves behind three children, six grandchildren and many friends and extended family. He was active until the end, enjoying swims at his home in Del Mesa Carmel and an occasional game of tennis. Roy was born in Salt Lake City, Utah, on January 22, 1929; He grew up in a military family and followed his father into the United States Military Academy at West Point. Like his father, Roy elected to serve in the Infantry. He served in Korea and was decorated with the Silver Star for gallantry in action, the Purple Heart for wounds in action against an enemy, and the Combat Infantryman Badge. On return to Stateside, he served as a White House Aide during the Eisenhower Presidency, from 1953 to 1956. His next station was with he Sixth Army Training Command, Fort Ord, California. It was at Ft. Ord that Roy met Mary Ann Kellogg, a local school teacher. Roy and Mary Ann were married on September 5th, 1959. Roy and Mary Ann traveled extensively as Roy completed assignments at Oberursel, West Germany, Ft. Benning Georgia, West Point, New York and Ft. Leavenworth Kansas before he returned to combat in Vietnam. On completion of this tour, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of his duties, the Distinguished Flying Cross for distinguished heroism, while participating in aerial flight, 7 Air Medals, for meritorious achievement. On return to the States, Roy was assigned to the Defense Intelligence Agency, Washington, DC. Roy's last military assignment was as Deputy Commandant of the Defense Language Institute, Monterey, California. Shortly after his military retirement, Roy took the position of the Superintendent of Public Works, with the City of Salinas. He also found time to return to school and earn a Masters degree in Public Administration, from Golden Gate University. In 1980, Roy was appointed Deputy City Manager and in 1988, was named City Manager of Salinas, until he retired, for a second time, in 1991. During his second retirement, Roy and Mary Ann kept active through traveling, time with their family and grandchildren, and his never ending projects around the home. Roy and Mary Ann have three children, Kelly, Dianna, and Jake, and six grandchildren, Caprice, Cheyne, Amber, Everett, Paige, and Sean. Roy's life was an exemplary one, yet the roles in which he had the greatest impact on others were those of husband, father, grandfather and friend. He will be missed greatly.

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