Debra "Jo" Herrman

Debra “Jo” Herrman, 60, of Westmoreland, Kansas, passed away Tuesday, August 2, 2011 at her home south of Westmoreland, following her courageous battle with cancer. Debra “Jo” Herrman was born June 15, 1951, in Westmoreland, Kansas, the only child to Alfred and Charlotte (Hale) Siebert. Alfred and Charlotte later divorced and her mother then remarried Richard Echavez. Jo’s stepfather was in the Army so Jo as a child spent time in Germany and Chicago. While her stepfather was in Korea or Vietnam, her, her mother, sister and brother lived near Westmoreland, KS, with Charlotte’s mother Mabel Hale. Jo attended grade schools in both Westmoreland and Chicago and attended all four years of high school in Westmoreland graduating in 1969. On June 6, 1970 she married her high school sweetheart, Richard “Dick” Herrman in Westmoreland, he survives of the home. After high school Jo attended Manhattan Area Vocational Technical College in 1970 and graduated in 1971, becoming a Licensed Practical Nurse. She worked at the Wamego City Hospital from 1971 until leaving to give birth to her and Dick’s first son William, in February 1973. After a six week leave from work she began working at the Dechairo Hospital in Westmoreland where she worked for 21 years. During this time she and Dick had two more sons, Andrew and Adam. After leaving Dechairo Hospital she went to work for the Cotton-O’Neil Clinic in Wamego for 16 years before being forced to retire in 2010 due to her illness. Jo was a dedicated and compassionate mother and nurse. She loved her sons, daughters-in-law, and grandchildren. She was very close to all her patients and respected her doctors. Jo is survived by her husband Richard “Dick” Herrman, of the home; three sons: William “Jody” Herrman and wife Kristi, of Bartlesville, OK, Andrew Herrman and wife Michelle, of Wheaton, KS and Adam Herrman and wife Lyndsey, of Olathe, KS; eight grandchildren: Drake, Tyler, Leighton, Trayden, Derek, Paris, Taryn and Cruz; one sister Krystal Dekat and husband Terry of Manhattan, KS; one brother Richard “Gus” Echavez and wife Chris, of Osage City, KS and one uncle Dean “Hank” Hale and wife Lois, of Westmoreland, KS. She was preceded in death by her father Alfred Siebert, and her mother and stepfather, Charlotte and Richard Echavez. Funeral services will be at 9:30 a.m., Friday, August 5, 2011, at Westmoreland United Methodist Church, Westmoreland, KS. Burial will follow in Westmoreland Cemetery. She will lie in-state beginning at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, August 4, 2011 with family greeting friends during a visitation from 5-7 p.m. at Stewart Funeral Home, Wamego. Memorials are suggested to the Children’s Mercy Down Syndrome Clinic, Kansas City, MO, and may be left in care of the Stewart Funeral Home of Wamego, PO Box 48, 66547. Online condolences may be left at www.stewartfuneralhomes.com