James D. Herron, age 67, of Landis Store, passed away peacefully with his much beloved wife Rachel by his side at Lehigh Valley Hospital on Friday, June 28, 2024, after suffering complications from cancer treatment.

Born in Monkseaton, Whitley Bay, in the northeast of England, James spent much of his youth with friends fishing and scrumping and engaging in general mischief in the countryside surrounding East Worldham, Hampshire, where his childhood home now houses the village pub.

A teacher at the one-room school there first fueled his developing intellectual curiosity and urge to see more of the world by lending James National Geographic magazines and encouraging his studies. At age 16, he left home to continue his education first at Farnborough College of Technology and then Birmingham University, where he studied education and linguistics.

James' lifelong love of live music events started when, not much more than a child, he hitchhiked to the first Glastonbury Music Festival. Developing facial hair early allowed him to get away with such antics, and by the time James was a student at Farnborough, his classmate Brian remembers him looking like a cross between Rasputin and John the Baptist. James' final concert was the recent Rolling Stones tour stop in Philadelphia, which he was determined not to miss despite his worsening illness.

Although he had little interest in spectator sports (Rachel once found him in the kitchen baking banana bread during an Eagles NFC championship game), James was a gifted athlete, playing left wing in rugby union, and a natural horse-rider, leading his friends on wild gallops. He loved the open water, was a strong swimmer and skilled windsurfer.

James was also an avid reader, frequently quoted the poetry of Philip Larkin (especially "This Be The Verse"), and enjoyed the novels of Julian Barnes, John Irving, and T.C. Boyle. The only time Rachel remembers James rendered speechless was when Boyle himself sat in the empty seat next to him to watch a short story reading in New York City.

James' work life was a kaleidoscope. After several years as an elementary school teacher, he was bitten early by the computer technology bug and left education to work for Tandy. He met his very best friend Fred working in the IT department of Birmingham City Council, and the two collaborated on DataTrain, a business James created to deliver database applications and supply hardware to other businesses.

As middle age approached, James shifted gears in many ways and embarked on a successful contracting career that allowed him to travel and work in cities all over Europe, as well as Pakistan and Australia.

While working in Brussels 27 years ago, James met Rachel in a chance encounter and the two began, as their friend Susan described, "a beautiful adventure." After a five-year transatlantic relationship, they moved to southern Spain, married in Gibraltar, and settled in the mountain village of Cómpeta, soaking up sun for 10 years, before relocating to Berks County in 2012.

There James rediscovered his love for gardening and the countryside. Together, he and Rachel grew and preserved many of their vegetables and made jams and hot sauces. But James' most prized patch was his garlic, one year harvesting a personal record of 520 heads. Throughout the years, he also amassed a large heirloom seed collection. James loved the local seasonal food-themed events, especially the Bowers Chile Festival, where he was their national jalapeño-eating champion three years in a row.

Everywhere James went in the world he made many friends. He did so because of his ease of story-telling and his most generous spirit. James let people know he appreciated them and would do whatever he could to help others. Even in death, James continued to give with the donation of his corneas. He had a quick wit and an oddball sense of humor, so there was always much laughter around him. His good friend Gerben said it well: James touched and changed and uplifted so many people.

In addition to his wife Rachel, James is survived by his son Alex; his much-loved fur bundles Leni, Bode, and Bridget; the "Outlaws," as he fondly called them: Ronald and Linda Delp, Kathleen Daniels (Joshua) and Peter Delp (Christina), nieces Cora Pelletier and Haley Delp, nephew B. Thomas Stevens; and his chosen band of brothers: Brian Apter, Martyn Davies, Claude Detier, David Fosberry, Timothy Francis, Gerben Massen van den Brink, Laurent Moutenot, and Fred Webb.

Interment will be private and at a later date at Hope Cemetery, Kutztown. In lieu of flowers, please send donations in James' memory to the American Association for Cancer Research (aacr.org) and Seed Savers (seedsavers.org).

The family would like to extend their gratitude to Dr. Chetan Nayak, Bridgeen Tohill, and Deanna Rapak, members of James' medical care team at LVHN.