George "Mike" Herring

George Michael "Mike" Herring, 75, of Flasher, North Dakota, went to be with our Lord and Savior on August 11, 2026, at Sanford Health in Bismarck.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, August 17, 2026, at St. Lawrence Catholic Church in Flasher, with Father Frank Schuster presiding. Visitation will take place at the church from 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. before the funeral. Burial will take place at a later date at St. Gertrude Cemetery near Raleigh.

Mike was born on January 30, 1951, in Homer, Louisiana, to George and Toy Herring. He lived in Haynesville, Louisiana, until 1960, when his family moved to Mountainair, New Mexico, for the benefit of his health. In 1966, they moved to Shattuck, Oklahoma, where Mike played football and helped local farmers during harvest. He graduated from high school in 1969.

After high school, Mike began a life filled with adventure. He attended Eastern New Mexico University for one year before returning to Shattuck to work for Northern Natural Gas Company. Looking for something different, he headed to Arizona to work on a cotton farm, then moved to California to work on a horse ranch. His journey eventually brought him to Dayton, Wyoming, where he worked at the Padlock Ranch and met the love of his life, Patti Brunelle.

Mike and Patti were married on September 16, 1977, at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Williston, North Dakota. They welcomed their first daughter, Jaci, on May 24, 1981.

In January 1982, the family moved to the Oklahoma Panhandle, which Mike jokingly called "the armpit of the Oklahoma Panhandle," when he returned to work for Northern Natural Gas Company. Their second daughter, Tina, was born there on October 2, 1982.

Although Mike continued working for Northern, he especially loved fishing, hunting, and visiting with people. He and Patti raised their daughters to enjoy softball, basketball, and camping. He also enjoyed horse racing and "shopping" with his Oklahoma family.

Mike coached his daughters when they were young and continued teaching and supporting them in sports and other activities throughout their lives. Whether he was teaching them archery, tying on a fishing hook, casting beneath a tree, driving a lawn mower, riding a bike, saddling a horse, or dancing, Mike was always involved and had something valuable to share.

In May 1995, the Herrings moved to Patti's hometown of Williston. Mike continued working in the oil industry for companies including Schlumberger, Nuverra, and Superior until his retirement in 2018. He and Patti purchased land east of Williston, where they raised cattle while continuing to work in town. After selling the cattle, Mike traveled to Elgin during the busy months to help Jaci by driving trucks and making deliveries for Wilbur-Ellis.

Following retirement, Mike and Patti moved to south-central North Dakota to be closer to family and remain present and supportive in their grandchildren's lives. They attended volleyball and basketball games, school programs, and the livestock shows in which their grandchildren participated.

Mike continued to hunt and took great pride in caring for his yard. He developed an interest in firearms and enjoyed discovering new things that captured his attention. Leatherworking had been a passion in his younger years, and he happily returned to it after moving to Flasher.

Mike often said, "Don't take life too seriously; you don't live through it anyway." He was known for his memorable one-liners and his gift for connecting with people. Through his many adventures, Mike made friends around the world and kept in touch with many of them throughout his life. His stories and friendships remained a source of joy for his family. Very few people met Mike without coming to love him.

Mike is survived by his daughters, Jacalyn Hartman (Jason Bachmeier) Raleigh, and Tina (Kelly) Hetzel Flasher; grandchildren Hayli, McKenzie, Cassy, Noah and Lily. He is also survived by his sister, Teresa (George) Ross, San Antonio, Texas; niece, Tami (Jay) Knight Farmington, New Mexico; brothers-in-law, Mike (Laurie) Brunelle, Kelly Brunelle, Mark Brunelle, and Lane Knudsen, all of Williston; sisters-in-law, Kathy (Scott) Soderstrom, Carrie (Robin) Anderson, Mary (Casey) O'Neil, and Paula (Neil Hagen); and numerous nieces and nephews.

Mike was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Patti Brunelle Herring; his parents, George and Toy Herring; his parents-in-law, Edgar and Olga Brunelle; and his sister-in-law, Jayne Knudsen.