Miriam Herin Obituary

Miriam Macfarlan Herin

February 27, 1941 - May 28, 2025

Greensboro, North Carolina - Dr. Miriam Macfarlan Herin died peacefully at Beacon Place in Greensboro on May 28, 2025 at the age of 84. She was born in Miami, Florida to John and Margaret Trussell Macfarlan and moved with them to Arlington, Virginia when she was 14. She graduated from Emory & Henry College and then earned M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from the University of South Carolina. After two years in New York City, she and her family moved to North Carolina in 1972.

She taught English Literature at a number of colleges and universities and later became an award-winning writer herself, publishing several short stories and three novels: Absolution, A Stone for Bread, and The Basilisk. Along the way, she worked as a social worker, an editor for Good Housekeeping and the Winston-Salem Journal, and as a film and video producer. For six years in Charlotte, she volunteered her time to organize and run a youth program for 56 Southeast Asian refugees.

She is survived by her husband of nearly 54 years, Tom Herin, their children, Carol Jordan (Guy) and John Herin (Dev), two grandchildren, Ben Jordan and Arielle Herin, and her sister, Shirley Hunsicker (Phil).

A Celebration of Miriam's life will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, August 2, at College Place United Methodist Church, 509 Tate Street, Greensboro, NC with a time of fellowship following the service. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Emory & Henry University, P.O. Box 950, Emory, VA 24327, or to a charity of the donor's choosing.