George was a legendary butcher
GEORGE Herterich of Clonard and late of Naas, County Kildare who died on November 18, was a legendary and award-winning Wexford butcher and a founder member of Wexford Rotary.
George passed away two days short of his 82nd birthday in the care of staff at Knockeen Nursing Home where he had been a resident for the past two and a half years.
He hailed from a proud family tradition of butchering which began when the Herterich family moved from Bavaria in southern Germany to Ireland and George’s grandfather opened their first butcher shop in Naas in 1913. His grandfather was one of 11 siblings who spread their wings all over Ireland, opening shops and bringing traditional Germany butchering skills to this country. George’s father Charles was born in Newry and George himself was born in Portlaoise.
The family moved to Naas in the 1940’s and it was there that George learned his trade. He married Dorothy (Dor) (nee Miley) and the couple moved to Wexford in 1958 where they established a very successful pork and delicatessen business on South main Street (opposite the old Dunnes Stores building) which became a household name in Wexford and won many awards for its quality products.
Herterich’s specialities, containing a special recipe of ingredients, included sausages, pies, black and white puddings, cooked meats and wild smoked salmon which were sold over the counter and also supplied to hotels, restaurants, shops, factories and pubs.
George had three children, Susan, Charles and David who joined him in the business and continued working there for a number of years.
His wife Dor passed away in 1984 and in 1989 he met and married Bernadette McIntyre. They carried on the business until 1997 when George decided to retire and sell the shop. He was a very active man who enjoyed socialising with his friends, taking holidays abroad, going to football and rugby matches and playing squash.
He loved music, especially opera. At the height of his business, he travelled regularly to trade fairs in the UK and Germany. He was a founder member of Rotary Wexford and he and Dor started the club’s tradition of organising Christmas hampers for needy families in their own home. Bernadette still delivers the hampers today. After retiring from Rotary, he became a member of Probus, an association of retired and semi-retired professional and business people.
George was a deeply religious man and this faith helped him through his final illness. He is survived by his wife Bernadette; his children Susan, Charles and David; his brother Noel; sister Maudie; grandchildren Colin, Craig, James, Dorothy, Laura and David; aunt Alice and his extended family and friends.
He was predeceased by his sisters Mildred and Mabel. Funeral prayers took place in Knockeen Nursing Home followed by removal to the Church of the Assumption, Bride Street for funeral Mass and burial in St. Ibar’s Cemetery, Crosstown.