George Herbert

With a life that spanned times of war and times of peace, times of plenty and times of want, George Herbert made the most of each day he was given while holding his loved ones near. He was a loving husband and devoted father who was filled with unspeakable joy to witness his family tree blossom to include branches of grandchildren and great-grandchildren who were his greatest source of pride and joy. George was never concerned with building wealth or gaining possessions, rather, his focus was on doing everything to the best of his ability. A man of great honor, courage, and selfless generosity, he will be deeply missed but never forgotten.

It was great to be an American during the days that we commonly recall as the Roaring Twenties. This was the decade that saw motion pictures come to life in both color and sound, more affordable cars as they were widely mass produced on assembly lines, and radios, refrigerators, and washing machines in our homes. Amidst this eventful time was the year 1925 when Albert and Edna (Hallock) Herbert were pleased to announce the birth of the baby boy they named George on June 29th, in Montery Township, Michigan. He was one of 13 children in his family, and he was raised in the family home in Plainwell, Michigan, alongside his siblings, Cleo, Clare, Clara, Emma, Luthera, Grant, Hazel, Harley, Bill, and, Charlene. Sadly, two of his siblings died as infants. George’s parents were farmers, and his father also trapped and trained dogs. He attended local schools including Plainwell High School, but he left school before graduating in order to work on the farm.

New and exciting changes were in store for George when he met the girl of his dreams. She was a young woman named Joyce from Otsego, and they met on a date that was arranged by his friend, Bob Foster. They went to a movie that cost only 10 cents, but apparently that was a bit steep for George since he paid for the movie but couldn’t also pay for popcorn! Although Joyce thought he was cheap, he must have made quite the impression as that date led to more dates.

As his romance with Joyce was deepening, George was serving as a soldier in the United States Army and sent overseas during WWII. Like pages torn from a history book, he was among the soldiers who were part of the first wave of military servicemen to take part in the unforgettable D-Day invasion. George and these other brave souls had quite the harrowing experience jumping into the water weighted down with their ammunition in an attempt to avoid gunfire. He served under General Patton and went across Europe. From there he was sent to the Philippines. While preparing for the Japanese invasion, the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, bringing an end to the war before George was ever sent on the mission. While in the military he was an engineer whose work was primarily focused on bridge building.

Not to be forgotten during his time in the military was his love for Joyce. She wrote him for three years while he was gone, and just three days after his discharge, George and Joyce were married. Together they were blessed with the birth of their son, Michael, and they always had dogs that were like additional members of the family. To support his family, George made a career as an offset printer for Sutherland Paper Company. A lifelong resident of the community he loved, he also spent 33 years with the Plainwell Fire Department, retiring as assistant chief. During his retirement years, George also did some part-time work for Life Story funeral homes in Plainwell and Portage. In 2003, he was deeply saddened with Joyce’s death.

Throughout his life, George was a man of many interests. He was a longtime member of VFW in Otsego Post 3030 as well as a life member of the Masonic Lodge Plainwell / Otsego #78. George enjoyed fishing, bowling, and hunting, especially when he went deer hunting up in the U.P. with his brothers when they camped in a tent and made their meals on a wooden stove.

Excitement was in the air when George met Joy a bit later on, and together they spent their sunset years. Joy's Aunt lived next to his brother and when she formerly introduced them, sparks began to fly. They joined together on August 22, 2003, and lived in Plainwell. George didn’t travel much, but he had a great time when his son took him to Las Vegas. He did also enjoy going to the Shack Country Inn with Joy and some friends. George was always willing to help others in any way he could, which kept him busy, too.

The sort of person who was a stranger to none and a friend to all, George Herbert was a blessing to everyone he met. He was outgoing, genuine, and kindhearted with a fun-loving sense of humor that remained intact until the end. Willing to serve during his country’s time of need, George was always so proud to be an American. It was easy to see that he deeply loved his family, and his commitment to his loved ones was unmatched. George will never be forgotten.

George Herbert, of Plainwell, died on September 25, 2015, at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo. George’s family includes his wife of 12 years, Joy; son, Michael (Kaye) Herbert; step daughters: Leota (John) Spear, Nola Harlan, and Liz (Harry) Snyder; grandchildren: Nichole (Kevin) Heil, Andrea (Ryan) Miller, Karey (Sean) Hill and Elenora Jones; great-grandchildren: Isabela, Saree, Owen, Ian, Lucas, Madeline, Olivia, Christian, Andrew, and Nathan; Joyce's step-grandchildren; H.W. Snyder, Brian Snyder, Danny (Audra) Snyder, David ( Rachel) Snyder and great grand step-children; Ella, Emery, Lyla, Virginia & Annabelle Snyder as well as several nieces and nephews..George was preceded in death by his parents; his first wife, Joyce; and his siblings: Cleo, Clare, Clara, Emma, Luthera, Grant, Hazel, Harley, Bill, and Charlene. Visit with his family and friends and view his life story film on Friday, October 2 from 10:00-11:00 at the Life Story Funeral Home, Plainwell; 120 Woodhams St. (685-5881). A funeral service will follow at 11:00 a.m. at the same location. Please visit George’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com where you can read his life story, archive a memory or photo and sign his memory book online. Memorial donations can be made to Rose Arbor Hospice.