Published: August 16, 2008 08:52 pm      

Businessman secures prosperous life

Ray O’Herron to celebrate 90th birthday

DANVILLE — In 1964, Ray O’Herron quit his job as a salesman for the Gerber Baby Food company and began going from town to town, selling radar equipment out of the trunk of his car.

At that time he never thought he would someday own a public safety equipment business with clients all over the globe.

Even though Ray retired some years ago, he still visits his office on a regular basis. His son, Rocky, and daughter, Bobbie Jo, now serve as president and vice president, respectively, of the O’Herron superstore in Danville.

“My kids do a good job, but I just like to know what’s going on,” Ray said with a big smile.

Ray also is a collector of all sorts of things. The soon to be 90-year-old entrepreneur easily manipulated his electric scooter around his roomy office, pointing out favorite memorabilia — his U.S. Army jacket from World War II, an antique quarter slot machine, a collection of shot glasses and swords, a life-size John Wayne cardboard cut-out and a full-size knight in shining armor.

Company history

The Ray O’Herron Co. is a third-generation family business that has both a national and international presence in the industry. There are eight sales representatives to personally call on customers in the Midwest and abroad. In addition to the Danville location, O’Herron has a store in Lombard and an Internet site where hundreds of products can be ordered.

According to his daughter, Ray has lived an interesting life so far, traveling to many countries all around the world.

“He went to Rome to visit the Pope and to Ireland, where he kissed the Blarney Stone,” Bobbie Jo said.

“He also looked up some of his ancestors there, only to find out that they were horse thieves by profession,” she said with a smile.

“My dad had the ability to seek out many law enforcement items that he knew nothing about,” Bobbie Jo added. “He wasn’t one to follow the common path, but instead he went where there was no path, and he left a trail.”

Early life

Ray and his late wife, Millie, started dating in high school. “She was just 16 years old — just about the right age,” Ray quipped. “We met each other while swimming at the old Jaycees Park.”

The couple married in 1941. Millie was a registered nurse and worked for years at the former St. Elizabeth Hospital and then at the Veterans Affairs Illiana Health Care System. When Ray started the business, Millie quit her job so she could become his bookkeeper.

“We first worked out of our home on Poland Road,” Ray said. “We had some hard times with the business, but in the end, we had more ups than downs.”

Their first store was at 51 E. Fairchild St., and then at 812 N. Vermilion St. for many years. The family built their current building, at 3549 N. Vermilion St., in 1993. The structure was recently expanded to accommodate their growing inventory.

Rocky said, “We sell everything here that a police officer needs. A new police cadet can come into our store and walk out of here completely attired.”

Some of the items for sale at O’Herron’s include law enforcement officer badges, binoculars, body armor, clothing, spotlights and flashlights. There also is fire, EMT and first aid equipment; leather and nylon gear; restraints; traffic and safety equipment; helmets and batons, as well as non-lethal weapons.

Family ties

Both Rocky and Bobbie Jo are graduates of Danville High School. Rocky has worked in the family business since he got out of the U.S. Army in 1969. He and his wife, Susan, have four sons: Jason, Christopher, Michael and Ryan. Michael and Chris work in the business.

Ray coached boys’ baseball for years and is fondly remembered by many 20-something young men who played baseball while they were growing up in Danville.

Bobbie Jo has worked full-time in the business since 1974. “My mom didn’t know how to type, so they hired me to do all the typing, and the rest is history,” she said.

Bobbie Jo recalls that her father gave her a typing book and a manual typewriter when she was only in fifth grade so she could teach herself how to type — which he considered to be an important skill for a woman.

Like her father, Bobbie Jo likes collecting things. She has quite a collection of kitty cat items and also has on display her collection of all the law enforcement officer badges that were made by their company.

Bobbie Jo has two daughters: Tammy Rae Talbott, who works in the business, and Penny Joe Fredericks.

In 1989 the O’Herron company opened an office in Oakbrook Terrace, which recently moved to Lombard. Bobbie Jo is president of that store, and Rocky is vice president.

Ray’s niece, Debbie Okerlund, has worked for the company for 30 years and is the store manager in Danville. Bobbie’s son-in-law, Larry Fredericks, is the sales manager.

Besides his six grandchildren, Ray also has nine great-grandchildren.

Ray lives on the lake in Danville, where he has resided most of his life. He also has a home in Naples, Fla., where he spends his winters.

“Our family has Dad to thank for the beginning of our successful company,” Bobbie Jo said. “Even though we’ve all worked hard through the years to make it grow, Dad was still responsible for getting it started.”

One of Ray’s favorite pastimes is eating dinner at the Possum Trot in Danville. He especially enjoys visiting with the waitresses there, who know him for his sense of humor.

“A day is wasted without laughter,” Ray said, with a hearty laugh. ”I’m just an ordinary guy, so I don’t know what all this fuss is over my 90th birthday.”

COMING UP

In honor of Ray O’Herron’s 90th birthday, the family will host an open house from 2-4 p.m. Aug. 24 at the store, 3549 N. Vermilion St. The public is invited.