Herschel McNary

Herschel Earl McNary was born in Evansville, IN on September 6, 1964, to Earl Thomas McNary, Sr. and Shirley McNary Moss. He transitioned to being with the Lord on September 26, 2023.

Herschel attended Bosse and Central High School and earned his diploma there in 1982. He attended the American Culinary Federation and graduated as a certified chef in 1999. Herschel grew up attending Cleaves Memorial CME with his family and was saved at an early age. Herschel loved playing chess and would spend hours every day sitting on the front porch playing with his siblings and friends who dropped by. He loved the challenge and tried to beat anyone who sat down to challenge him. Herschel also played the saxophone by ear. He never took music lessons but taught himself to read music. He would hear a song and then be able to play it.

Herschel found joy in feeding anyone he could. At different times in his career, he also had restaurants or worked in some. One restaurant he ran out of Earl’s Place located at Kentucky and Washington. He opened on Friday and Saturday nights, for the late-night crowd. Most Saturday nights the line would stretch for blocks with people waiting to purchase catfish fillets, fried chicken, and cabbage. It was eventful every weekend and he often ran out of food. Herschel also founded Epicure, an intimate service of him coming into your home, preparing your meal and serving it himself dressed in his white chef uniform! He was an excellent cook! He last worked as the Executive Chef at the Executive Inn in Evansville.

Herschel’s greatest love was his family! He took pride in being the oldest and bossing everyone around. Herschel could always be counted on to crack a joke or use “the claw” on you if you were a nephew. Herschel might not return a call when he said, “I’ll call you back,” but he had no problem calling you at 2 a.m. wide awake and he expected you to have a conversation with him right then. He never ended a conversation without saying “I love you!” He said he started doing this because you just never know when it will be the last time you speak to someone, and he did not want any of us to not know if he loved us. Herschel leaves to mourn his children Lieya McNary, Sierra McNary (Jamal), Desmond McNary (Codi), Skylarr Ruff, Michael Payne. He leaves his father, Earl McNary, Sr., his sisters Alice Burris (Tyrone), Ruth Howard (Bruce), Pam Pauley, Roselyn Coleman, Earlisha Nolen (Darvis), Earlrica McNary, DeVonna Wallace (Antwuan), and Timara Moss. He leaves his brothers Tony Waddy (NeNe), Stephen Fellows, Earl McNary, Jr. (Teresa), James, Patrick, and Christopher McNary, and Antonio and Aaron Moss. He is preceded in death by His mother, Shirley Moss and stepfather Bill Moss, his ex-wife Patricia McNary, his daughter Micole Wilson, and his brothers Tracy Norman and Larry Pauley. Herschel had a host of grandchildren, nieces, nephews and cousins. He also leaves his beloved Carla; special friends, Nadelvia Spady, Marvita Ringo, Eve Bell, Isaac and Ina Winfield, Karry Bacon, and Evie and Nathaniel Waddell.