Herman John Priggel, 85, was received into the arms of our Lord on Sunday, March 6, 2022.

Herman was born on December 14, 1936, in Portageville, Missouri, to Everett Anthony, and Jane Hannah Eftink Priggel.  As he entered the world via a home birth at the residence of his grandparents, Elizabeth and John Eftink, snow fell from above.  He was the oldest of six children born to Everett and Jane Priggel.  Herman was the oldest of 42 first cousins on the Eftink side of the family and one of 15 first cousins on the Priggel side of the family.

Herman attended St. Eustachius Catholic Elementary School and Portageville High School.  He was proud of being a member of Portageville's football team, with two undefeated seasons, during the early 1950s.  After high school, he attended college at the University of Dayton until he left for the United States Army. Herman was stationed in Puerto Rico. During his time in the service, he was the only military observer to officially record and place a report to the Pentagon of the launch of Sputnik I by the Soviet Union on October 4, 1957. After receiving a call from a general to confirm his report, he couldn't help but think the whole event was a practical joke by one of his fellow enlisted men. Why would the general call a private? Despite his doubts, Herman maintained his usual polite soldier demeanor on the phone.  This phone call would prove to be the first of three times Herman would speak with the general that night to track the progress of a Soviet rocket at the height of Cold War nuclear tensions.

After the Army, Herman moved to St. Louis and worked at Emerson Electric.  His love for the family farm brought him back to Portageville, Missouri, where he started a 37-year farming partnership with his brother, E.P. Priggel.

In 1964 Herman organized a young Catholic singles group where Herman met the love of his life, Ruth Ann Schwach.  After a short courtship of eight months, Herman and Ruth Ann were married on April 24, 1965, at St. Ambrose Catholic Church in Chaffee, Missouri.  To this marriage came four children and 13 grandchildren.  Herman and Ruth Ann shared their most beautiful gift with their children, the gift of their faith in Jesus.

Herman continued in the profession of farming for the rest of his life.  He was honored as both the Portageville Farmer of the Year and also as the New Madrid County Farmer of the Year.  In 2011, his family farm in Portageville was recognized as a Missouri Century Farm which had been passed down from his Grandfather Herman Priggel to Everett Anthony Priggel and eventually to Herman.  He shared the love of his profession with his children.  All three of his sons formed Priggel Family Farms, Inc. and continue to farm in the Portageville area.

Herman believed in giving back to his community through both time and treasure.  He served as a member of the St. Eustachius Parish Council, St. Eustachius School Board, Knights of Columbus, Ditch 18 Drainage District, and as a Little League Baseball Coach.

Herman was a lifetime fan of the St. Louis Cardinals.  In the summer he would enjoy sitting in his rocking chair on his front porch listening to the Cardinals on the radio.  He enjoyed following local and national politics, playing cards on Sunday evenings with his cousins and friends, investing in the stock market, reading the newspaper, and watching television.  Herman especially enjoyed watching his grandchildren play sports and visiting with other members of the community.  Herman and Ruth Ann enjoyed celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on a cruise bound to Cozumel, Mexico with the entire family consisting of 23 members.  Their anniversary week was spent with family, sunshine, and warm waters. Herman felt that he had lived a blessed life and was so grateful to our Lord.

Herman and Ruth Ann moved to West Plains, Missouri, in 2021, to be close to their daughter and son-in-law for medical assistance.  They enjoyed living with their daughter and her family before moving to Cedarhurst Living Community in West Plains.  Herman enjoyed making new friends while at Cedarhurst.

Herman was so excited at the thought of getting to leave Earth to be with our Lord and Savior.  When his daughter shared with him that he only had a few more months to live, a great sense of joy came over him and he immediately reached out for the Catholic priest and wished to tell his loved ones goodbye. He was sharing a hospital room at Ozarks Healthcare where his beloved spouse was in her own hospital bed as a patient next to him. The family laughed that their father was an impatient man and rather than waiting a few months to pass, he went to meet our Lord that very night.  As much as they will forever miss him, they would never want to take his joy away by keeping him here.

Herman will be dearly missed by his wife of 56 years, Ruth Ann, his four children, Mark (Elizabeth) Priggel of Sikeston, Joan (Matthew) Dietrich of West Plains, Neil (Lynda) Priggel of Portageville, and John (Shelly) Priggel of Portageville.  Herman is survived by thirteen grandchildren Gerard Dietrich, Derrick Priggel, Ryan Priggel, Malena Dietrich, Alexa Priggel, Selena Priggel, Gabriel Dietrich, Jessica Priggel, Lily Beth Priggel, Julianna Priggel, Mary Caroline Dietrich, Maggie Priggel, and Anna Jane Priggel.  His grandchildren will greatly miss his smile and his laughter.

Herman is also survived by his five siblings, Betty (Dennis) Wallin of Collierville, TN, Martin (Melinda) Priggel of Oran, E.P. (Doris) Priggel of Portageville, Mary Jane Lizana of Kiln, MS, and Martha (Lewis) Rone of Portageville and his brother-in-law, Benjamin (Mary) Schwach of Rancho Cucamonga, CA.

Herman is preceded in death by his parents and his brother-in-law, Lonnie Lizana.

Friends and family may gather at DeLisle Funeral Home in Portageville on Sunday, March 13, 2022, from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. for visitation.  The Holy Rosary will be prayed at 7:00 p.m.

The Mass of Christian burial with Father David Baunach presiding will be celebrated at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 14, 2022, at St. Eustachius Catholic Church in Portageville.  Burial will follow at Portageville Cemetery with a short service by Father Baunach.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests you consider a memorial donation to St. Eustachius Catholic School.