Florian John Herda

The family is planning a celebration of life on August 1, 2020, beginning at 10:00 AM with a memorial Mass and followed by the inurnment, both held at St. John Vianney Catholic Church in the Spokane Valley

The son of Wenceslas and Adeline Herda, Florian was born on December 14, 1931 in the Czech community of Lonsdale, Minnesota. From a young age, he worked with his father in the family’s harness shop, inheriting both a strong work ethic and his lifelong love of working with his hands.

Florian graduated from New Prague, MN, High School in 1949. During the Korean conflict, he served near Anchorage, Alaska, a member of the U.S. Army. Upon return to Lonsdale, he soon met Judith Van Camp. They were married on July 30, 1955 in Towner, North Dakota. He completed Architectural Drafting and Estimating at the Dunwoody Institute in Minneapolis, MN.

The family of three moved in1957 from Minneapolis to Fargo, North Dakota. Then to Spokane Valley, Washington in 1962 as a family of six. The twins joined before Christmas 1965 to make eight. Florian was employed by Fargo Foundry, Union Iron Works, Ryerson Steel, and with Lunden Construction Products as a Draftsman and Estimator before retiring in 1993.

A man of deep faith, Florian and his family’s greatest sadness has been that his beloved grandson, Bryce Florian went missing at the age of 6, on the Pacific Coast in 1995. Florian was very active as a dedicated member of his church and the Knights of Columbus and the Boy Scouts. He enjoyed hiking and camping throughout the northwest and teaching traditions of the Scouts, such as honor and reverence, and appreciation of the outdoors and nature.

He had an active life and loved both indoor and outdoor activities. His favorite times were spent with family and friends holding barbecues, yard games, walking, camping, hiking, bare-foot water skiing, bicycling, gardening, fishing, hunting, card games, cribbage, billiards, and astronomy. He enjoyed attending sporting events, coaching, and competing in live sports like baseball and tennis, and was an avid bowler. In later years, he much enjoyed golf as well as contributing to the local casinos. Throughout his life, he made family his priority, as a son, husband, brother, cousin, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather.

Florian was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Ted and Joe; brothers-in-law, Ed Cleasby, Bill Wagar, Ward Whitehead, Charles Kelly, and Milo Van Camp; sisters-in-law, Ann Marie, and Joan Whitehead; daughter-in-law DeDe Wilkinson; and grandson Wenceslas.

He is survived by his wife, Judith Herda; six sons, Timothy, Jeffrey, Gregory (Rhea Devera), Jeremy, David (Valerie), and Daniel (Stephen Mellander); nine grandchildren; and twelve great-grandchildren; four sisters, Adeline Cleasby of Winter Park, FL, Bernice "Bea" (Vladimir) Rukavina of Minnetonka, MN, Rita Herda of Faribault, MN, and Lois Kelly of Navarre, FL; sisters-in-law, Elaine Herda of Faribault and Edith Wagar of Towner, ND; many nieces and nephews, cousins and more.

The family would like to give special thanks for the kindness and support of so many friends and fellow parishioners, and to the staff of Hospice of Spokane for exceptional care. In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be directed to The National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, St. John Vianney Catholic Church or School, or Catholic Charities of Spokane.