Herbert Webster Daws

Herbert “Herb” Webster Daws, passed away peacefully on March 17, 2025. He was the youngest sibling of seven born on January 12, 1941 to Oma Mae Hatfield Daws and William “Willie” Layfette Daws in Monticello, Florida. He was also the devoted husband to Colleen Paulson Daws whom he married in December 2006.

Herb served in the Army in the 60’s with most of his station time based in Alaska. After his military service, he began working at the Florida Department of Transportation where he eventually became a Professional Engineer and Professional Land Surveyor and retired as an Estimates Services Engineer, within the Planning and Engineering Division, Estimates Office.

Herb enjoyed camping, riding bikes, hiking, and working on his multitude of projects which included building a boat, drafting and designing a teardrop camper, and designing/building wooden furniture. He found joy in tackling a range of activities including creating construction designs and building several houses for himself and other family members. While his passion seemed to be building and bringing his sketches to life, he also had a fondness for gardening and hosting family gatherings. Thankfully, many of his recipes were captured in a family cookbook. His love for the outdoors was a gift he gave his kids and grandkids. Camping and road trips were a joyful time as we will forever have wonderful memories of campfires, “snipe” hunting, fishing, star gazing, and enjoying a peach cobbler cooked in a dutch oven over a bed of hot coals. Family was important to Herb and he spent countless hours cooking, teaching, and cherishing special milestones and achievements with his kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids including his time as a troop leader for boy scouts.

Herb was preceded in death by his parents, his wife, Colleen, and mother of his children, Mary; siblings Bessie Mae Herold (brother in-law Leslie “Cupid” Herold), Cecil Daws (sister in-law Marilyn Daws), William Daws, Jr., Ethel Daws Axson (brother in-law Bill Axson), and Iva Connell (brother in-law Nobie Connell).

He is survived by sons, Robert "Bob" (Lisa) Daws and William "Bill" (Kelly Miller) Daws; a daughter, Kathy A. Daws (Phillip) Johnson; granddaughters, Brooke Daws (Zach) McCormick and Tess Johnson; grandsons, Billy (Jessica) Daws, Dylan Daws, Chase Johnson, and Brynden Daws all in Tallahassee, and Josh (Sarah Kraus) Daws, New York City, NY; great-grandchildren, Damien Daws, River McCormick, Ash McCormick, and Russell “RJ” Daws; step-children, Chad (Lynn) Brower and Lisa Brower of Sioux Falls, SD, and Jeremy Underberg of Larchwood, IA; and step-grandchildren Calvin and Isaac Brower of Harrisburg, SD; his brother Richard Daws in Mississippi, Sister-in-law Anniedia Daws of Woodville, and numerous nieces and nephews.

The family will be receiving guests for a visitation at Culley’s MeadowWood Funeral Home on Riggins Road in Tallahassee on Sunday, March 23, 2025 at 9:00 am with a funeral service to follow at 10:00 am. Family members will follow a processional for interment at White Church Cemetery in Woodville, Florida, once services have concluded.