Herman Childers
Herman Boyd Childers often repeated this saying from Confucius: "No matter where you go, there you are." Perhaps it was his way of reminding those around him that, at the end of the day, you have to be happy with the person you see in the mirror, and Herman was happy with the man he saw in the mirror.
Herman Boyd Childers was born on September 9, 1933 at 403 West Market Street, Salem, Indiana- an address he would keep until he passed away on July 31, 2014. He graduated from Salem High School in 1951 and attended Indiana University where he studied Business.
He worked in the Accounting Department at Smith Furniture/Child Craft for decades. As Bill Suvak, retired President of Child Craft Industries, stated, "Herman was a sweet man with a great sense of humor and an even bigger heart. He was reliable and trustworthy. He treated the corporate funds as if they were his own."
Susan Green, a cousin to Herman, reflected, "He was such a quiet person. It is surprising that he enjoyed being in the Drama Club in high school. Actually, he was in quite a few plays. He also played the piano and he loved to cook."
"He was a homebody," recalled Justin Green, also a relative. "He was a person who did not embrace change. He had the same car for 22 years. He loved old movies, antiques, and listening to Big Band music. He was a carbon copy of his Mom."
Herman had a small family and a very close circle of friends. He lost his father at the age of 7. He had a sister who died when she was a baby. So, for most of his life, it was just Herman and his Mom. He took care of her in her elder years, up until the day she died.
What Herman may have lacked in immediate family, he made up for with extended family and friends. He befriended Garry Stone when Garry was fresh out of high school and just joining the workforce at Child Craft. They became lifelong buddies, going bowling on Friday nights and later taking family vacations together. "Herman loved his dogs," reminisced Garry. "He was very close to his last dog, Fergie. She died about a year before he did."
A lifelong member of the First Christian Church, Herman grew to be a kind person with a great sense of humor. "He always had a joke," recalled Susan.
Herman was a simple man who led a simple life. In the end, this kind man left half of his estate to the people of Washington County. According to Garry, "He was just a good-hearted man who wanted to do good."
