Dodge City - Neola Herman, age 96, passed away unexpectedly on Monday morning, July 20, 2026, in Wichita after a weekend of special family reunion celebrations. She was surrounded by her loving children. She was born on May 7, 1930 in Dodge City, Kansas, the firstborn daughter of Clifford and Bertha (Aeschliman) Reinert.

Neola graduated from Ensign High School in 1948. She was very active in school activities, including cheerleading, chorus and band. She was valedictorian of her senior class and loved assuming leadership roles such as drum majorette in the marching band. She created lasting relationships with her schoolmates, maintaining an over 50-year correspondence with three of her best friends, calling their letters the Round Robin. Following graduation, she moved to Dodge City and took a job with High Plains Journal.

She married Clarence Herman on January 2, 1950, at Sacred Heart Cathedral in Dodge City. Neola and Clarence raised their 4 children on farms near Ensign, Kansas. Aside from time spent raising her children, she worked alongside Clarence in their farming business. She was also very active in the Ensign community - supporting 4-H, acting as a First Responder, helping with local blood pressure clinics and early cancer detection education classes. She was a member of the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe (COLG) Altar Society, co-chair of the Gray County Walkers Relay for Life team for over 20 years, local coordinator for American Heart Association fundraising, volunteer election poll worker and Officer of the Ensign Keenagers. Neola's passion in life was giving to others. She was a loving caretaker for her mother, many aunts and uncles, other community friends and, ultimately, her husband. She was dedicated to her family, spending summers with her grandchildren taking in the festivities of Dodge City Days, attending sporting activities and making family holidays special.

She is survived by three daughters, Susan (Nancy) Herrman of Manalapan, New Jersey, Janet (Ed) Thompson of Shawnee, Kansas, and Beverly (Mike) Arel of Olathe, Kansas, and one son Ron (Lea) Herrman of Wichita, Kansas. She leaves 8 grandchildren and 17 great grandchildren to carry on her and her husband's legacy. She is also survived by her brother Leroy (Vivian) Reinert of Westminster, Colorado and many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents and one sister, Arlene Bunnell.

Funeral mass will be held at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Friday, July 24, 2026 at 10:00 am with Reverend Wesley Schawe presiding. Following the mass, a luncheon will be served at the Dodge City VFW. A private family burial will follow at Ensign Cemetery. Visitation will be at Swaim Funeral Chapel, Dodge City, on Thursday, July 23, 2026 from noon to 5:00 pm with the family present during visitation. A vigil service will also be held on Thursday at 7:00 pm at the Cathedral. Memorials are suggested to the American Heart Association or the COLG Preparing a Place Building Appeal in care of the funeral home. Thoughts and memories may be shared in the online guestbook at www.swaimfuneralhome.com.