On January 1, 2026, "The Car Guy" William "Clinton" Herring, Sr., officially hung up his hat and went home to be with the Lord.

William Clinton Herring Sr., a family man, respected businessman, and beloved figure in the Oklahoma racing community, passed away peacefully on Thursday, January 1, 2026, in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the age of 97. A lifelong resident of Lawton, his legacy is deeply woven into the community through his entrepreneurial spirit, his passion for automobiles and his community.

Born on May 27, 1928, to Oklahoma pioneers William Thomas and Edna "Ruby" Nix Herring, Clinton was born and raised west of Lawton on the family's 160‑acre farm residing at the base of the Wichita Mountains. The land, situated along Blue Beaver Creek, now known as Signal Mountain on the Fort Sill west range, shaped his early years. In addition to farming, he worked beside his father in the family's rock and gravel business, which operated a quarry on the farm. His responsibility for maintaining the company's small fleet of trucks revealed a natural mechanical talent that would define much of his life.

Clinton attended Lawton High School and Cameron College. During his high‑school years, he met the love of his life, Mary Catherine Larrance, and the two were married on September 5, 1948. Together, they built a large and loving family, instilling in their children the values of hard work, integrity, and service for others. He was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather as his family always remained the heart of everything he did.

From a young age, Clinton was fascinated by bicycles and vehicles. During World War II, before graduating high school, he opened his own bicycle repair and sales shop. Around that same time, he began purchasing vehicles in need of work and quickly found success in repairing and reselling them on his own.

He worked in several mechanic shops before moving into automobile sales in 1956, serving a few dealerships in Lawton. Over the years, he also owned and operated a used‑car lot and later an auto parts store, both located on Sheridan Road. Clinton always knew he wanted to be a car dealer, and his opportunity arrived in 1969 when he acquired the local Lincoln‑Mercury dealership, which he proudly named Clinton Herring Lincoln Mercury. He operated the dealership with distinction earning numerous recognitions from the Ford Motor Company for exceptional customer service, until its sale in 2005.

Even after selling the dealership, Clinton continued his lifelong work in the industry, running Clinton Herring Auto Sales & RV Center at 2nd and Gore. Throughout those years he demonstrated his commitment to his community by serving on many local boards such as the Lawton Airport Authority, the Boy Scouts, The Salvation Army, the Boys & Girls Club, Southwestern, and Memorial Hospitals. He was also a member of the local Rotary Club and Oklahoma Automobile Association Board, serving as the OADA director for several years.

Anyone who knows Clinton knew he had a lifelong passion for automobile racing. He began racing midget cars in 1950 in Wichita Falls and at the Duncan Y. He later transitioned to stock cars, competing at the L.O. Ranch Arena in Lawton and the Wichita Falls Speedway. He started his career as both a driver and a mechanic but eventually chose to focus on one role. Clinton had a remarkable talent for building race cars from the ground up. He introduced the first Mercury‑powered super‑modified engine to the Lawton Speedway, and it proved to be highly successful. In 1956, he played a key role in bringing Lawton Speedway to the community, working alongside close friends Lanny Edwards and Garland Newsom. Over the years, several prominent drivers piloted his cars, including Shady McWhorter and Merle Bettenhausen. Other notable drivers who raced for Clinton were Bill Bruner, A.J. Little, J.L. Nash, Garland Newsom, Gilbert Hudson, Joe Farly, and Wayne Cox. His cars competed across the region, including Duncan, Lawton, Oklahoma City, Wichita Falls, and Dallas. Clinton was inducted into the Texhoma Racers Hall of Fame in October 2011. Known throughout the Texhoma racing world as "The Ford Man," he remained a devoted supporter of racing in this region for decades.

Survived by his 5 children, 1 son in law, 14 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. - Clint Herring Jr and wife Fran, Earl Herring and wife Ruth, James Herring and wife Jane, Ruth Anne Herring, Cathy Herring and husband Chris Wike, and son in law Richard Woodman. Grandkids - David and wife Angela Woodman; Anna Woodman; Patrick and wife Stacy Herring; Bridget Herring; Carrie and husband Brandon Norman; Stuart Herring; Shelly Farrar; Billie Logan; Chris and wife Wendy Herring; Heather and husband Justin LaRoche; Jared and wife Nelly Williams; Shannon and husband Chris Chandler; Cody and wife Cheyanne Williams; Catie Huskey. Great grandkids - Hanna, Caleb, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Grady, Aubrey, Evan, Harper, Garner, Caden, Britton, John, Evie, Austin, Scarlett, Sterling, Kenzie, Jessie, Sofia, Lucas, Callie and Charli.

He was proceeded in death by parents William T. and Ruby Nix Herring, his wife Mary Catherine Herring, daughters Linda Faye Woodman, Shelly Lynne Williams, and son Gregory Blaine Herring along with 1 brother and 4 sisters.

Clinton was a faithful member of Cameron Baptist Church, where he found fellowship and purpose for many years. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Cameron Baptist Church, Lawton United Way, or a local Lawton charity of your choice, continuing Clinton's lifelong commitment to serving his community.

A community celebration of his life will be held at 1:00 pm Saturday, May 30, 2026, at Cameron Baptist Church.