William Sebring (Beau) Herrick died on Sept. 19, after a long battle with Alzheimer’s disease. He was 78.
Beau loved people, loved sports and loved having family and friends around him. He brought humor, energy and enthusiasm to the things and people he cared about most.
He grew up in Weston, with his parents, Paul and Jane Herrick, his brother, Rick, and his sister, Jane.
Sports were a big part of his life from an early age. At Deerfield Academy, he focused much of that energy on tennis and soccer. He went on to Denison University, graduating in June 1970, where he continued to play soccer. Tennis and golf remained lifelong passions, along with really just about any sport, including a good game of horseshoes.
He began his career with Northwestern Mutual Life in 1971. Following his marriage to Maria, he became a special agent with Northwestern Mutual and remained with the company throughout his career. He especially valued the relationships he built with clients and colleagues over the years.
At the center of it all was Maria, his wife and partner in the life they built together. Beau affectionately called her “Mals,” short for her nickname, Malsie. Their story went all the way back to age 13, when they first met on Martha’s Vineyard while Beau was trimming the hedges next door. They later made Needham their home and raised their three children, Tim, Annie and Marion, there. In 2016, Beau and Maria moved to Plymouth.
Beau always felt that one of his greatest successes was being a dad and coach. He coached soccer and was a constant presence on the sidelines while his children were growing up in Needham. He loved following all three through the different stages of their lives. As they got older, Beau continued to show his support by cheering on their schools and proudly wearing their school gear.
He also loved his New England teams, especially the Red Sox, Bruins, Celtics and Patriots. One favorite tradition was watching the Patriots with his brother-in-law, Jeff (Jeffie) Riotte, who died before him. At kickoff, the two would raise a glass and call out together, “Goooo… Pats!”
Martha’s Vineyard, especially East Chop, remained one of his most special places. He loved tennis, birdwatching, golf at the Edgartown Golf Club, Murdick’s Fudge and spending time with his grandchildren, Cate, Rose, Charlie, Oliver, Lillian and Garrison, who knew him simply as “Bobo.” He loved racing around the East Chop house, playing cards, hitting tennis balls and simply enjoying the sounds of family gathered together.
He loved a great joke and had a few favorite sayings his family can still hear in his voice: “That’s fabulous,” “We have the best family,” and, always, “Love ya.”
Beau is survived by Maria; his children and their spouses, Tim and Meg, Annie and Michael Mortara, and Marion and Dan Cutler; his six grandchildren; his brother, Rick Herrick; his sister, Jane Mueller; and their families.
Beau’s spirit will live on in the stories we tell, the memories that still make us laugh, the family traditions we carry on, and all the ways he will continue to be part of our lives.
And, as Beau would say, “It was a great party!”
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Beau’s memory to the Alzheimer’s Association. A celebration of Beau’s life will be held Saturday, Nov. 14, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Needham Golf Club, 49 Green Street, Needham.