William Herrick

William Michael Herrick, 74, of Gibson Island, MD, passed away on September 18, 2017, in Baltimore, MD, of multiple organ failure following a cardiac arrest. Mike was born in Elizabeth City, VA, on April 26, 1943, to Sarah H. and John F. Herrick. Although his family moved around the country in his youth, his roots were in Delaware. He was a 1961 graduate of the Hotchkiss School. After studies at the University of Pittsburg, he enlisted in the US Army, serving as a helicopter gunner and crew chief in Vietnam, receiving two Purple Hearts. He later worked in Vietnam with Air America. The Veterans Administration classified him as disabled due to his exposure to Agent Orange during his military service. Mike earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Delaware in 1971 and moved to Washington, DC. He began his professional career as a financial analyst and examiner at the Federal Home Loan Bank Board (later the Office of Thrift Supervision), attending law school at night. After receiving a Juris Doctorate from American University Washington College of Law, he became a lawyer for that agency, leaving in 1980 to become the Assistant Director of the Securities and Corporate Practices Division of the Comptroller of the Currency. From 1981 to 1997, Mike was an Associate, Partner and then Senior Partner with the law firm of Elias, Matz, Tiernan & Herrick, Washington, DC, a corporate law firm specializing in banks and other financial institutions. In 1997, he became Senior Counsel to the firm. After retiring from the active practice of law, he served on the Board of Silvergate Bank, La Jolla, CA, and enjoyed traveling, boating, reading, and getting together with friends. He was a member of the Delaware and Washington, DC, chapters of the Society of Colonial Wars; The Metropolitan Club, Washington, DC; Wilmington Club, Wilmington, DE; and Rolling Rock Club, Ligonier, PA. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Soyster, of Gibson Island, MD; a brother, John Herrick, of Sydney, Australia; a sister, Sarah Naradzay of Aberdeen, NC; and nine nieces and nephews. A celebration of his life will be held at noon on Saturday, September 23, at St. John’s Episcopal Church-Georgetown, 3240 O St., NW, Washington, DC. In lieu of flowers, Mike would have encouraged a donation to the Hotchkiss School (The Hotchkiss Fund, 11 Interlaken Road, Lakeville, CT 06039-2141; http://www.hotchkiss.org/give) which he credited with teaching him to write an English sentence.