Herman Detering

1938 - 2015

Herman E. Detering III
1938-2015
Herman Eberhard Detering III, 76, died peacefully at home in Houston on March 21, following a long battle with cancer. He leaves behind his devoted wife and best friend of 40 years Mimi Crossley Detering, loving relatives, close friends and a legacy of work promoting animal welfare. His parents, H. E. Detering Jr. and Inez Sherar Detering, are deceased. Herman was educated at St. John's School in Houston, received a B.A. from Washington and Lee University and a J.D. degree from Columbia University. As a young man, he was ranked nationally in tennis, and was an accomplished equestrian. Returning to graduate school, he was awarded an M.A. in intellectual history from New York University, and studied for a PhD with Frank E. Manuel. Herman taught and lectured extensively in history and the humanities, including at Rice University, St. Thomas University and the University of Houston. As an historian and rare book collector, he founded the Detering Book Gallery, which became the premier rare bookstore in the South. His FotoFest exhibition of books and photographs showing the parallel development of psychiatry and photography broke new ground in the study of clinical uses of imagery. As a rancher, Herman became involved with studies of animal psychology and methods of natural, non-coercive horsemanship. Adapting these methods to cattle, he pioneered low stress handling for ranchers, regularly writing articles for major publications including The Cattleman and The American Brahman Review. His video, "Natural Persuasion," was a first in the field of low-stress herd management and remains a classic. Herman's extensive life, career and thoughts about animal handling can be found on his website, www.hermandetering.com. Herman also served on several non-profit boards, notably FotoFest, the Houston Center for Photography and the Texas Committee on the Humanities. In addition to his wife Mimi, Herman leaves a sister, Deborah Detering, and nieces Shelley Pannill Stein and husband Matt Stein; Katherine Pannill Center and husband Gordon Center; and Lizzie Pannill Fletcher and husband Scott Fletcher. A memorial service will be held at The Rothko Chapel, 3900 Yupon St. on Thursday, April 9 at 11 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please donate to True Blue Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 1107 Brenham, Tx. 77834