Herbert Roscoe Warriner, who died at 94 on March 3, 2017 in Prosser, Washington, was born June 2, 1922 in Stickney, South Dakota to Herbert Roscoe Warriner, Senior and Gertie Van Arendonk. In 1925 Roscoe moved his family of Ruth, the older sister, and the baby Herb, to Grandview, Washington where he purchased a farm on Pleasant Ave. Younger brother Lester was born there to complete the family. Herb attended Grandview schools and churches. His schooling was interrupted by serious ear infections and illnesses for over two years. He remembered many chores with the farm animals and tending to orchard trees while also harvesting hay, wheat, and potatoes. He was proud of becoming a farming man, developing a prune orchard to finance his college education. He proved his athleticism in track, basketball, and baseball. His father wanted his tow-headed son to become a teacher, so after graduating from Grandview High School in 1942, he attended Seattle Pacific University and Eastern Washington University where he earned a BA degree in math and general science.
In 1943 he married Mabel Copeland, adopted David, and began teaching in Colfax, Washington. Later, he moved to teach in Hermiston, Oregon where his marriage ended in divorce. He then chose to change his life, so he moved to San Francisco to work as a mechanic until another teaching job opened up at El Sausal Junior High School in Salinas, California where he would teach science and math for 30 years. He married Marion Griggs Crimminger in 1958 and adopted her daughter, Kellie. The mild weather in Monterey County enticed him into playing golf almost every day on a variety of local courses. When it got too dark to see the ball, he switched to playing cards, especially contract bridge. He also earned his Masters’ degree in Education and his administrative credential from the University of Idaho.
After his second marriage ended, he married fellow teacher Barbara Warriner in 1973 in Salinas, California. His reminiscences of life in Grandview led his in-laws, Pat and Ken Barrett, to settle in Prosser upon their retirement, and Herb and Barb later followed them to Prosser in 1982. After 30 years of teaching, Herb was eager to begin his 34 years of retirement by growing roses, playing both golf & bridge, and enjoying hours in his new shop refinishing furniture, building boxes, turning candle sticks from orchard woods, & figuring out how to make jewelry from laminated rare woods. He was especially skilled in turning and fitting wooden handles for tools.
His wife, Barb, began teaching at Prosser High School where she drafted him into teaching the yearbook staff photography and dark room skills. He also took photos for the yearbook, sometimes covering five basketball games in one evening. He was a fixture on the sidelines of every football game for 18 years. Barb produced/directed two plays a year for PHS, so Herb suddenly found himself heading a crew of carpenters of stage hands to build sets and specialty props. He also was a substitute teacher. After being chosen as co-grand marshall for Homecoming with his wife, he limited his school activities to helping Barb carry her books and papers in and out of the building and being an enthusiastic spectator at P.H.S. events.
He spent his later retirement visiting family in the area, exploring backroads, gardening, really, really concentrating on bridge, and doing wood working.
Herb was pre-deceased by his parents; his sister Ruth Hall (Bill); his brother Lester (Til); his nephew Jim; his niece Jeanette Warriner; and his grand-nieces Dana Anderson and Deni Halverson.
Herb is survived by his wife Barbara; his daughter Kellie Doyle (Jim); his sister-in-law Til Warriner; his nieces Nancy Sitton, Sheryl Stocking (Paul), Carol Huntley, Robin Loeck, Jocelyn Warriner, Dolly Knickerboacker, and Lee Ann Warriner; his nephews Duane Hall (Pam), Cecil Warriner, Herbert Dale Warriner, Ryan Warriner, Lester Lee Warriner, and Tim Warriner. He also leaves numerous grand and great-grand nieces and nephews.
Funeral Service will be at the Prosser Funeral Home on Saturday, March 11th at 11:00 am. Burial will follow at the Prosser Cemetery. Reception to follow.