Henry Herring Eichelberger, of Lexington, Virginia, died February 26, 2022 after a short illness.

He is much missed and mourned by family and a host of friends on two continents who came to know him during his long and rich life.

Born in 1935 of two old Rockbridge and Rockingham County families, Henry spent his early years at what is now known as the Magnolia House on Lexington's Main Street; it was Henry who planted the now towering magnolia tree when he was just 8 years old.

Henry spent formative years with his Aunt Josephine Herring in Louisville, Ky., before graduating from Christchurch Episcopal High School in Christ Church, Va. He earned his B.S. in biology at Tulane University in New Orleans, and a stint with the Army took him to Turkey and continental Europe.

On returning home, he received a fellowship for graduate studies at the University of London, England, where he earned his master's degree in biology.

His expertise in laboratory work eventually took him to Aberdeen, Scotland, where he spent a number of years as the director of electron microscopy. It was while in Aberdeen, on a visit home to Lexington, that he renewed an acquaintance with Jeanne Tracy Richards. They were married in 1977, and spent the next five years outside of Aberdeen in a village on the coast of the North Sea.

On their return to the United States, Henry worked at Case Western Reserve in Cleveland before moving to Binghamton, N.Y., where he oversaw the electron microscopy program in the SUNY-Binghamton laboratories. During their 25 years in Binghamton, Henry and Jeanne expanded their range of interests and good acquaintances by joining several Scottish pipe bands.

Together they became charter members of the Broome County band in Binghamton – Henry on snare and tenor drums, Jeanne on the Highland pipes – then joined the Mohawk Valley Frasiers in Rome, N.Y.; the Syracuse pipe band; and later the Shenandoah Valley pipes in Staunton. Together they marched for a number of years with the Broome County pipes in New York City's St. Patrick’s Day parade – the largest in the country – and marched and competed with the Mohawk Frasiers up and down the East Coast. At least once, they returned to their beloved Scotland to play in an international festival and competition.

In retirement, they returned to their Virginia hometown, where Henry was active as a local beekeeper, working with the late Garrett Moore to help manage hives all over the county as well as his own. He was an enthusiastic member of the Rockbridge Camera Club and a congregant at Grace Episcopal Church, where he enjoyed the men's prayer breakfast and had recently been confirmed.

At home, Henry enjoyed gardening, and his property was a certified Virginia Tree Farm. He remained an avid student of forestry practices, beekeeping and other horticultural studies. He actively supported a number of charitable causes.

He is survived by stepson, David Richards (Colleen Bailey), grandson, Gabriel Staton, sister-in-law, Lisa Tracy, nieces Josephine Hicks and Mary Lawrence Hicks, and cousin, Anne E. Herring.

A memorial celebration of his life will be held later in the year.

Donations in his memory may be made to Boxerwood Nature Gardens in Lexington; to Grace Episcopal Church; to Rockbridge Area Hospice, and to the Rockbridge Area Relief Association.