I could spend the rest of my life practically telling people about my father.  But if I had to narrow it down to just one sentence, it would be this:  my dad was the perfect father.  I catch myself thinking about him frequently, always in good ways.

His unconditional love and support for family just went on and on. I could write a book about him! I adored him. When I visit Spokane, I try to retrace his steps.  I drive by LC High School and Gonzaga U.

I find myself out on Custer Street to see if his childhood home is still standing.  But the place that reminds me the most of our father is on the steps of the Cathedral Plaza Catholic Church in downtown Spokane.  This is the church that Grandma Groot attended for many years.  It is the spot where many onlookers congregate to see the Bloomsday runners.  Dad always sat on certain steps as he watched family members jog by.  So, I find a parking spot and find myself sitting in the same spot, thinking of times past.

I always thought Dad missed his calling - he should have been an author.  He was very intelligent, open minded, optimistic, forgiving and relaxed.

Whoever will be reading this book will eventually shut the two covers together.  Not me.  He never gave up on me.  It seemed like we would flock to him for advice on life situations.

He was A to Z.  He was the best of the best!

Dad,
Your passing was certainly not a peaceful experience for me.  Anything but!
On that sunny, warm, Seattle afternoon, the nurses ushered family members back into your hospital room after your oxygen was removed.  
I remember looking into your sweet face and at the same time hearing an unfamiliar, slight "noise" in my head.  I could not make it out.
Over the next few minutes, the "noise" grew a little louder.  I then realized it was angels talking amongst themselves in heaven.  With each passing minute, more joined in the conversation, and they were beginning to flutter their wings slowly in excitement.  
Within the next fifteen minutes, there was tremendous excitement and activity in heaven.  Many angels were rapidly moving around, with their wings flapping very quickly in anticipation.  There was pandemonium.
Heaven could not wait to receive it's newest angel!
At the time you took your last breath, two angels had already arrived.  They raised your weary body, one under each arm, and you then entered a white, light filled tunnel. You had arrived at heaven's gate,and there was a roaring sound.
It took many angels to open the wide, heavy doors.  You now had acquired wings!
You quickly flew through the doors, and you were awestuck with what you saw and felt.....
You had finally reached your final destination.
Then there was complete, total silence.
This was very powerful to me.  And it was very real.

My father, Dr. Donald H. Herbert has blessed my life abundantly, having been his youngest child.  He had a Christ-like love for all of his children, symbolic of the Lord.  I am deeply grateful for all the joy, comfort, and happiness he has made me feel over the years.  Above all, I am thankful for all the unconditional love he has had for me.

Vivid in my memory is the family time together.  Having been the patriarch of the family, my father has taught me so much through words and example.  My father was truly a one of a kind father and the best in the world.  I have a tremendous respect for my father.  I am so lucky to have him as a big role in my life.  Donald will forever be a role model for me. I will be forever grateful for my amazing father.

As each day passes after his recent death, I am stricken with grief and sorrow.  Although I do find comfort and peace knowing that now he is with his ancestors, siblings, friends and the Lord.  I will greatly miss my father from this time forward.  I know someday we will be reunited again, through time and eternity.  I love you dad.

On August 10, I received a call from Sunrise View that Dad had been deteriorating
for a few hours, and the staff had transferred Dad to a local hospital.  Later that day, Dad was gone.
We had celebrated their 65th anniversary just the day before.  I was getting ready to leave Sunrise View and head back to Othello with Jenny.  We went into his room, and I knelt by Dad's bed and held his hand.  I knew I would not see him again.  I whispered into his ear "you are so close to heaven" and kissed his cheek.  Dad got teary eyed and so did Mom.
In the hours and days that followed after his passing, I felt a huge void, a deep sadness.  I knew that I would never again make that two mile trek across town to see him again.  But I feel a strong spiritual presence.   I feel him in in birds singing, in quiet times, in the leaves falling gently off the trees.  Many times, his
spirit abides with me.
When someone we love dies, we now have an angel we can call my name.
I continue to be amazed by a life so well lived and loved.  I adored him and celebrated with him many holidays, birthdays, state championship sporting event wins, and anniversaries.
I felt that between us, very little was left unsaid. Nothing to personal to share or expose.  I could be 100% myself without ever feeling judged.  Even when he disagreed with me.
Now that he's gone, I think I value and love him more.  Without the density of his body, I can better feel the intensity of his spirit.
His kindness toward others and love for family was his legacy.
Death shows up to remind us to live more fully.

Marie and Family,

It was a pleasure to meet all of you and we are sorry for your loss.

When you are sorrowful, look again in your heart - and you shall see that in truth, you are weeping for what has been your delight.

Thank you for letting us care for your father.

HAPPINESS IS THE GOAL OF LIFE

Our Dad has been gone for several weeks now, and in sifting through papers and photos I came across a copy of GRAMPA'S GAZETTE. This was published in June of 1992. Grampa created this and typed it out on an old fashioned typewriter, for the sole benefit and enjoyment of his grandchildren. There were hand written stories and drawings by the grandchildren, and a typed story about a particularly grueling water fight involving Super Soakers. There were news flashes, such as Karen starting kindergarten. Here is an excerpt, under EDITORIAL:

This is the first publication a a new newspaper, The Grampa's Gazette. No other newspaper or magazine is currently presenting any news about the most wonderful people in all the world. News about Valerie, Mike, Rob, Karen, Dan, Jenny, Marie, and Ben.

If happiness is the goal of life and many philosophers and religions teach that this is so, then these eight kids are more successful than those we read about in the world's newspapers. For they are happy when they throw a ball, or run through the sprinkler or cruise down the street on a bicycle. Perhaps as time goes on these eight kids will learn the "games" adults play, games in which they forget all about happiness. All about loving others and knowing that they love you. But for now they are happy and among the most successful persons in the world for they are meeting life's goal of happiness. 

And so Grampa's Gazette is dedicated to eight wonderful kids that have brought joyful moments not only to their moms and dads, but to their uncles and aunts, grandma and certainly to grampa.

Grampa's Gazette is hereby dedicated to these four beautiful girls and four strong boys.

Valerie Herbert        
Mike Woodbury
Rob Woodbury
Karen Woodbury
Dan McCourtie
Jenny McCourtie 
Marie Caryl
Ben Caryl

Dr. Donald H. Herbert was my grandpa and best friend.  My brother Dan and I always thought that growing up in Othello had its shortcomings- not much to do, no mall, everybody knows everyone's business and the list grows on.  This last week, I realized that growing up here had one major advantage- we hardly ever had to share Grandpa with our cousins.  One quick call and he was there in a flash, sometimes still in his pajamas, ready to take part in any adventure we could imagine.  He was always anxious to be a part of our lives.  If it was important to us, it was important to him.  During this past week, the family has come together and many stories of Grandpa have been exchanged.

I have so many fond memories of times with him.  When I was four years old, a major event was to load into Grandpa's Oldsmobile and go to Lions Park to spend hours crashing over the speed bumps to my delight.  When Grandpa was finally convinced that the car had had enough, we would get an ice cream cone and proceed to his backyard where he would haul me in his wheel barrel until he was stepping on his tongue.  Other heart-filled memories I had with my Grandpa is during church service, I would always demand that he would hold me and if he would set me down, my arms would extend out immediately and I would be picked up again.  Many times in the evening, I would sneak into the back room of our home and make a "secret call" to Grandpa telling him that I was having to do all the chores and everyone was being mean to me.  It wouldn't be five minutes and he would be at the door asking if Jenny could come stay with him a while.

As I got older, I was allowed to ride my bike to his office, where he would give me "pretend eye examinations" an spin me around in the chair.  When the exam was finished, we would load up and head to the golf course, where I was given full control of the golf cart and would drive all over as fast as it would go  Grandpa would hold on with white knuckles but never did complain. As we grew up, Grandpa Don was a fixture at any and all of our athletic endeavors.  He supported us on good days and not so good days but was especially proud to be in attendance when Dan's team won the state football championship and my softball team won state as well.  He told me that he felt the same way when Uncle Craig won the state wrestling title.

One day, I was at home and Grandpa sped into the driveway and yelled for me to come with him quickly.  We drove up by the open fields past the hospital where he excitedly showed me the biggest, brightest rainbow ever.  He said that rainbows were God's way of "showing off".

This last week, I have learned a little about dying.  I have also that the time to reflect the true importance of living.  My Grandpa taught me that what is truly important comes front he heart.  His unconditional love for his family, friends, and the life that he lived will be with me always.  I think it would be pretty safe to say, that my Grandpa and I had a very special bond and I always enjoyed being called "Grandpa's girl"

Please know this- the next time you see a rainbow that it is Grandpa looking down at us smiling.

We had not heard about the passing of Dr. Herbert until a visit to Coventry....We wanted you to know how sorry we were to hear.  He was a kind and special man and will always be fondly remembered by us.

Hello, my name is Pam Caryl, and I'm Daughter #2, for those whom I have not seen for many years.

Thanks for traveling here today - it is much appreciated.

I would like to honor our Dad today, and share with you some of the life lessons he taught us six kids:

   Strive to do the right thing, and then you won't have regrets.

   Don't look at it as a problem - view it as an opportunity.

   You can't control the actions of others, but you can control your own attitude.

   If you don't see eye to eye with someone, it's OK to state your feelings. Everyone has a right to feel the way they do.

   Sometimes situations arise in your life where you just do not know what to do.       The way you handle this is to just do the very best that you can.

   If you go through tough times, you will have an ability to be more                            sympathetic and understanding of others (even though we'd rather not go      through these "character building" times).

   Don't let anyone or anything stop you from achieving your goals. Aim high. This  from a man who opened his optometry practice the same week that Daughter #4  was born.

These are some of the ideas we heard. He taught us how to navigate life.

As I was growing up, I came to realize that he was the most positive person ever. I noticed that other dads, in their spare time, would hunt or fish or go bowling. But our Dad was a lifelong scholar - his passion being Powers of the Mind. He had many full bookshelves, and I would see titles like "How to Live 24 Golden Hours a Day" and "The Magic of Thinking Big". 

Our Dad was a spiritual man and was at peace with himself. He was charismatic and accomplished. He had great integrity. He had a vitality and positiveness. He had a gentle spirit and manner. He tried to have unconditional love for everyone. I'm realizing, even more in these last few days, that this made him very popular.

He would light up when young ones were around, initiating many games. There were magic tricks and spinning tops. Games of Down in the Cellar and Sack of Potatoes, even water fights. Our parents survived having five teenagers in the house, with four of them being girls. Reminds me of a Tshirt I once saw on a middle aged guy that said, "You can't scare me - I have daughters".

Our Dad loved going camping with our Mom on his full dress Harley Davidson. He loved math and Transcendental Meditation. He was the longest standing member in the history of the Othello Kiwanis.

Our Dad loved going out for coffee and the napkin game. A group of businessmen who worked in the same block would meet for coffee at the Steak House Restaurant about 10:30 on weekdays. I remember Terry Vess and Rich Lochmiller. I sat in on a couple of these coffee breaks as a college student, and came away thinking that the amount of gossip these men partook in could rival any good hen party. I understand there were a few times he felt embarrassed, when he and his friends would see our family dog, Bowser, rooting around the trash cans at the back of the Steak House.

Our Dad was an avid golfer for decades. I've seen him play between patches of snow. One day, when I was about 10, he asked me to get up on the roof and take photos. I happily obliged. He wanted photos of himself taken straight down from the roof, while he was swinging his driver, so he could analyze and perfect his form. 

Our Dad loved to read and took a course in speed reading. He took us to Auntie's Bookstore in Spokane. He was in heaven at Powell's City of Books in Portland, which takes up a whole city block.

In closing, I would like to tell a story about the day I learned to ride a bike. My immediate family is familiar with this story, and they can be reminded today of what a wonderful father and grandfather he was. For the rest of you, this will illustrate how he had it figured out what children want and need.

My good childhood friend, Johnny Loewen, taught me how to ride a bike that day. I must have been 6 or 7. Our Dad heard the news. I will never forget how he reached into his back pocket for his wallet and handed me a dollar bill. He suggested I go to the grocery store and get a carton of ice cream. Ice cream cost about 79 cents in those days. I was ecstatic! I was thinking "Oh boy, I'm a big girl now! I can help the family, plus choose any flavor I want!" 

So I got out of the store OK, but misfortune arose on the ride home. The store was only a few blocks away, but there was a slight decline in the road, plus there was a corner to turn. I got whizzing along at a pretty good clip, which I wasn't used to. I became afraid to turn the handlebars - thinking it would make me crash. I had seconds to decide which would hurt less - laying it down on the asphalt or crashing straight on into the curb.

My friend Johnny happened to be standing by the corner. He became excited and was jumping up and down, waving his arm in a circle and yelling "Turn, turn, turn!". But I was too afraid to turn and hit the curb. The ice cream was in a wire basket in front of the handle bars, and it went flying high in the air.

But the ice cream made it to the house, and my Dad had made me feel important and needed.

The six Herbert kids and the ten grandchildren were so very fortunate. As our brother Craig puts it - we hit the jackpot.

Thank you

There was no couple like the Herbert's; they were a beautiful love story right here in our little town.  Many people didn't take time to notice how every day they would close their little shop and go have coffee together.  Dr. Herbert was a very caring doctor and always tried his hardest to get the right prescription.  They both were always part of Othello. They will be missed, they made it feel like Mayberry.

Did I ever hit the "jackpot"  with having Dad as my father!"

I'll always remember Don and Marie in the "eye" business.
Also, Doc usually golfed with Duane and the golf bunch.
They seemed to be such wonderful parents.  My thought and prayers are with your family.

I have a rather sketchy memory of the day Don was born. Bob and I had been taken to Grandma Herbert for the day. My sisters, Laura, Marcia, Wilma and Donna remained at home, but two ornery little boys were more trouble than Dad wanted around.  I don't remember coming back home to see our new baby brother.  But I do have many memories of teaching our little brother how to catch a baseball or football and the other necessities of living within our neighborhood gang.
Because I became a Missoula, MT. resident in 1936, I missed most of his growing up years; about the time he started going to school I had left Spokane to go to college at the U. of Montana.
The last time I saw him and Marie was at Laura Trezona's 100 birthday party in Spokane.  
He supplied my first set of reading glasses, and probably some later ones.
His passing leaves me the last of the tribe that called home the corner of Fourth and Custer in Spokane.  We were the first in that neighborhood to get electric service and a telephone.  Bob, Donald and I often teamed up to take on the other  neighborhood kids in games, and our house was a center for all kinds of activity.

I just learned of Don's passing. I am so sorry.  I always enjoyed my interactions with Don.  He was a highly intelligent and caring man.  I am glad I had the opportunity to know him

You are cared about so much during this time of loss.....What a special service, I could feel the love!  Don was a great man,
a true gentleman.  I have soft memories of him-all good!

So sorry for the loss of your dear Dad and Grandpa.  He was
very special and a friend to me with I needed questions answered concerning Optometry.  I alway enjoyed talking to
him and Marie.  Thinking of you with sincerest of sympathy.

Don was a very kind person and he will be missed.  We were out of town Aug. 15th.  We hope Marie is doing OK as well as the rest of the family.  He led a good and productive life.  God  will welcome him.  Rest in peace Don Herbert. s/The Tim Flint Family.

I am so sorry for your loss...but I rejoice in God's gain. Today is August 21st. I'm on "the road" and just read the Othello Outlook I took with me. I'm sorry I missed Dr. Herbert's memorial service.  It would have been good to have seen you then and give my condolence in person.  I remember when you moved to Othello (Colleen, Pam, Mary, Carrie & Craig), to the house across the alley from my grandparents house.  What GREAT memories I have with you and your mom and dad.  A piece of my childhood is missing now that your dad is gone. Love you all.

I was about 8 years old when I attended Don and Marie's wedding.  Don took my folks and me to see his optomotry office and I remember walking down a stairs  to have a look at his optician office.  The walls were blue.  I had the priviledge of  attending Don and Marie's 50th wedding anniversary.  I  admired the Herberts'.  They raised their children and loved them dearly. They were an inspiration to me.    

Bro. Tony Cannon, CFC

My sincere sympathy for your family and may God keep His blessing coming to each of you.  RIP

OBITUARY

Donald Hal Herbert

April 10, 1926 – August 10, 2014

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