Lorraine Ann Hereld
June 4, 1932-Aug. 14, 2025
Pleasanton, California
Lorraine Hereld passed away in her sleep on Thursday after three years in care following a stroke. Married to the late Gerald P. Hereld (2016), she was the daughter of the late John C. and Bertha (Twite) MacLennan. Lorraine was born in New York City and grew up in Mattapoisett, MA.
From the start she excelled in mathematics and art, both of which she cultivated throughout her lifetime. While in school, she enjoyed performing in plays and singing.
She studied Engineering at the University of Rhode Island for 3 years. There she met Jerry and left with him before finishing her degree so that they could start a family while he spent three years in the Army Corps of Engineers. Training at bases in the States followed by two years stationed in Germany gave them their first three (of five) children, the opportunity to travel around the country and then in Europe, and dear lifelong friends. They settled in California on their return where Lorraine poured her energy and talents into raising and caring for her family. Later, when their children were older, she went back to school at San Jose State University and earned a Master of Arts degree in 1977 in visual arts.
Warm, charming, and outgoing, she made friends easily. She enjoyed family gatherings, socializing with her many friends, and bowling in the local women’s league. She was an accomplished artist. In addition to her artmaking, she applied her talents to a career in graphic arts working for a medical publishing company, running a graphics arts consulting company, and starting a small craft stencil business with her daughter Kerry.
One of her great passions was teaching mathematics to elementary school students as a teaching assistant and tutor, for which she garnered gratitude and praise from teachers, parents, and students. She often spoke lovingly of her experiences and enthusiastically about the many approaches she developed for capturing the attention of her students and encouraging their growth.
Lorraine is survived by her devoted children Mark Hereld (Anne Brody) of Chicago, Kurt Hereld (Maria Robertson) of Pleasanton, Scott (Linda) Hereld of Santa Clara, and Kerry (Dave) Ayres of Pleasanton. She is also survived by her daughter-in-law Sherry Hereld of Rockwall, TX; six grandchildren Kelly (Brad) Traina, Luke Hereld (Kate Barnett), Justin (Mimi) Ayres, Jake (Rachel) Hereld, Lauren Ayres (Lindsey Salerno), and Katherine Ayres (Lily Barrowman); three great-grandchildren Westley Traina, Luna Ayres, and Hudson Hereld; and her half-sister Pam Chacon of Long Beach, CA.
In addition to her loving husband Jerry Hereld (2016), Lorraine is predeceased by her son Dale Hereld of Rockwall, TX (2024) and her sister Barbara Barber of Mattapoisett, MA (2016).
