Lee Herrington III

1947 - 2026

Lee Herrington, III

Bow, NH - BOW --- Lee Roy Herrington III, born January 10, 1947, to Lee Roy Herrington II and Pluma Ellen Herrington in Hartford, Connecticut, peacefully passed away on Thursday, January 22, 2026, surrounded by his family. He is survived by his wife Joan and their six children: Lauren, Lance, Brooks, Ian, Shelby, and Sydney. Lee was blessed with a growing number of grandchildren, whom he loved dearly- and who affectionately called him "Pappy". He is also survived by two of his three brothers: Stuart and Dale; his brother Alan passed away in 2025.

At the age of 7, Lee and his brothers moved with their parents from Natick, Massachusetts to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. There, he picked up two of his lifelong passions: tennis, and a fandom for the Pittsburgh Steelers. His skill with a tennis racquet earned him local fame– he was the Western Pennsylvania singles champion in 1964– and, in time, earned him a spot on the varsity tennis team at Yale University, where he graduated in 1969. Eventually he passed on both his love of tennis and his fandom for the Steelers to his children. If Lee's lifetime match records existed, they would show that Lee held a winning record against almost everyone on the tennis court, his children included.

In July 1987, he married Joan Grabnar, from Kirtland, Ohio. That fall, Lee and Joan moved with their oldest daughter, Lauren, to New Hampshire. Their children well remember hearing of the moment Lee and Joan decided to move their young family to New Hampshire, standing on the footbridge overlooking Meredith Bay on Lake Winnipesaukee. Lee had always dreamed of spending summers with his family by a lake– inspired by cherished memories of summer vacations spent on Lake Chautauqua with a childhood friend. On the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee, and with his wife and six children beside him, he realized that dream.

Lee founded the Herrington Catalog in 1980 and ran it for over 30 years. The Herrington Catalog was his vision for a mail-order shopping experience that harkened back to the "days before malls". Under his leadership, the catalog expertly blended high touch personal service, carefully curated wears, and romantic storytelling and photography. The Herrington Catalog was highly successful, but most importantly, allowed him to be his own boss, exercise his great talent for writing and his eye for distinctive design, and choose the people he worked with- including his wife Joan, his brothers Alan and Dale, his sister-in-law Judy, and even for a time, his eldest daughter Lauren.

Lee loved his family above all things and counted them at the very top of his many blessings. He was happiest when sharing his passions with his wife and children- of course playing tennis in the summers and watching the Steelers on a cold fall day in front of a roaring fire, but also mid-day golf tee times with his children, captaining a spirited sail at sunset "Golden Hour", learning a new song on guitar with his sons, driving the boat on a summer night to get "Virginian" ice cream sundaes with his grandchildren, showing one of his meticulously researched vintage cars, or cleaning house on the ping pong table.

Lee's legacy lives on in the love his family shares, and this was his greatest success.

In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to the school Lee chose for its commitments to both academic rigor and to formation of character, a place where his children were able to "grow up slowly."

Checks can be made out to "Friends of St. John Regional School" and should be mailed to:

61 South State Street, Concord, NH 03301

A Funeral Mass to celebrate and remember Lee is being held this Saturday, January 31,2026, at 2:30pm, at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 300 NH Rt. 25 Meredith, NH. All are welcome to join family and friends at the service, and also at Hart's Turkey Farm immediately following Mass.

Arrangements are under the care of Mayhew Funeral Homes and Crematorium. To sign the online book of memories, please go to mayhewfuneralhomes.com