RAPID CITY--Jesse R. Herrick, 80, Rapid City, died on Friday, November 7, 2008 at Rapid City Regional Hospital. Jesse was born on March 27, 1928 in Nebraska City, Nebraska to Jess and Elizabeth (Burley) Herrick. His family included a sister, Yvonne, and a brother, Herb. They moved to Rapid City, where Jesse attended Garfield Elementary School and later Rapid City High School. He graduated from Rapid City High School in 1945. After high school, Jesse entered the Army Air Corps and was in occupied Japan at the end of World War II. He was recalled to the Korean War, where he served as a P-51 crew chief. After that, Jesse attended Black Hills Teachers College, where he graduated in 1954 with a degree in education. In 1973, he earned a Masters degree in education. On October 7, 1950, Jesse married Marjorie Fitzgerald, a marriage that lasted 57 years. They had three children: Maureen, Jess (Casey), and Robert. Since youth, Jesse knew he wanted to teach and coach. He began his career teaching and coaching in Hysham, Montana. He and his family then moved to Spearfish, where he continued teaching and coaching. Finally, they settled in Rapid City, where Jesse taught biology at Rapid City High School and coached football at Cathedral High School. After coaching at Cathedral until 1968, Jesse began a very successful coaching career at Central High School that lasted until his retirement in 1990. He coached sophomore basketball and football, and varsity tennis. He was the first and only Rapid City Central tennis coach from 1968 until 1989. Jesse was a gifted teacher and coach, and earned many honors, including the 1982 South Dakota High School Tennis Coaches Association Coach of the Year, and, in 1989, the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science and Math Teaching. Jesse was inducted into the Rapid City Sports Hall of Fame in 2002. Jesse also worked every summer for 28 years as a ranger at Mount Rushmore, which he enjoyed and told many stories about. Jesse had lots of hobbies, including making model ships, collecting sports memorabilia, reading, visiting Deadwood with his wife, and attending local sporting events. He was very excited about the Rush hockey team and was looking forward to the first game. Jesse was very active, and always liked to be outside doing things, such as riding his bike, working on his garden (with his dachshund Max keeping him company), and especially, golfing. He spent as much time on the golf course with his friends as possible. Jesse was known for his stories, his wonderful sense of humor, his kindness, and most of all, his love for his family, who will miss him very much. They are: children, Maureen Stevens, Rapid City, Casey Herrick (Barbara), Rapid City, and Robert Herrick, Winchester, VA; brother Herb Herrick, Montesano, WA; sister-in-law Frances Hoffman, Siletz, OR; grandchildren, Matthew, Jennifer, Jessica, Stephanie, Ryan, Emily, Amanda, and Raymond; and great-grandchildren, Nick, Kelsey, Alanna, Mitchell, Mason, Armailey, and Easton. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jess and Elizabeth Herrick, his sister Yvonne Mello, and his wife Marjorie. Visitation will be from 5 until 7 p.m. with a Christian wake service at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 11 at Osheim & Schmidt Funeral Home. Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Nov. 12, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, with Father Mike Mulloy presiding. Burial will follow at Black Hills National Cemetery. A lunch will follow the burial at the Cathedral. A memorial has been established.