Yesterday, South Mississippi lost one of its most beloved and respected businessmen. Dub “Paw Paw” Herring, longtime supporter of local athletics, respected businessman, and beloved figure in Pearl River County, passed away peacefully at the age 91. From the cotton fields of the Delta to the car lots in South Mississippi to the grandstands of Pearl River Community College. His life was a playbook of perseverance, faith, and dedication.
He wasn’t born into privilege — in fact, quite the opposite. Herring was born in 1934 in Elliott, Mississippi (in the Delta near Grenada). As the oldest of six siblings, he understood early what it meant to help others. His father struggled with alcoholism, his mother held the household together, and young Dub acquired his work ethic on the cotton fields just to bring in something for his family.
At age 18, he traded cotton fields for the Navy, serving his country as a corpsman during the Korean War. When he returned home, he found solace and purpose on the gridiron, while playing football at Holmes Community College. He may not have been the best player on the team, but those close to him remember a player whose toughness, work ethic, and character stood out — traits he carried into every chapter of his life. It was there he met his first wife, Elaine, and built the foundation of a family and a dream, and they soon moved to Pascagoula after graduation.
After moving to Pascagoula, he worked as a postal carrier while Elaine worked at a local bank. But Herring’s ambitions always pushed him farther. He studied the automotive business, absorbed everything he could, and in the 1970s launched Dub Herring Ford-Lincoln-Mercury in Picayune. Then came the move that made him a household name: in 1992, on a whim, he ordered a few campers to sell alongside his cars. They sold out in two days — and Paw Paw’s Camper City was born.
From that moment, “Paw Paw” became a Southern brand of its own. His commercials became legendary — always featuring his family and his unmistakable charm. In all of his commercials, his grandkids would look up at him, smiled, and deliver the line that made him a household name:
“That’s a good car, Paw Paw!” or “That’s a good RV, Paw Paw!” depending on the dealership
(316) Dub Herring Chrysler Ad From 1997 That’s A Good Car Paw Paw! – YouTube
Though his businesses carried his name, his heart belonged to local sports, especially Pearl River Community College athletics. Over the years, Herring poured resources into scholarships, facility upgrades, and community outreach. He wasn’t just a donor — he was a constant supporter in the stands, a presence on sidelines, and a listener to student athletes.
(“The Dub” Home of Pearl River’s Baseball program was dedicated in Dub Herring’s name in 2019.)
From scholarships to stadium improvements, Dub helped turn dreams into opportunities for generations of student-athletes. His fingerprints are still all over PRCC’s athletic programs — from the weight room at the football stadium his name on signage around campus as a sponsor. The school honored him with its Distinguished Service Award in 1999 and later named a the school’s baseball stadium Dub Herring Park in his honor, a lasting tribute to the man who gave back every chance he could.
(Dub Herring, center, with his family at the dedication of the Pearl River Baseball Stadium in his name in 2019)
Around Pearl River County you cant talk about local sports without hearing the name “Paw Paw.” He sponsored Little League teams, helped high school programs upgrade facilities, and made sure small-town athletes had a shot at something bigger.
A personal revival in 1967 changed his life forever, deepening his faith and widening his heart for others. He helped establish Daystar Ministries and Jacob’s Well, both focused on helping women in need, and he served as a Gideon speaker for more than 35 years.
But even with all his ministries, Paw Paw never strayed far from the game he loved. When he wasn’t in church or at the car lot he could often be found watching his Pearl River Wildcats play football or baseball in Poplarville or at games for Picayune High School
For Dub Herring, sports was a way to build community. And that community loved him right back.
Dub “Paw Paw” Herring leaves behind a legacy that reads like a playbook for life:
Work hard. Keep the faith. Lift others. Leave every place better than you found it.
As South Mississippi says goodbye to a legend, it also celebrates a man who made every car deal, every handshake, and every family commercial feel like part of something bigger.
The voice of his grandkids still will forever echo across the Gulf Coast
“That’s a Good RV, Paw Paw !!!”
About The Author
