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Robert A. Herbkersman, 85

Robert A. Herbkersman, 85, passed away peacefully with family at his side on March 6, 2017, at Hospice House in Hayden, Idaho.

Bob was born April 13, 1931, in Maple Heights, Ohio, the younger of two children born to Arthur E. Herbkersman and Beatrice (Brown) Herbkersman. He attended school in Maple Heights and Southport, Ind., where he graduated in 1949.

He attended photography school in Dallas, Texas, and afterward enrolled in the University of Minnesota. He interrupted his college years to serve his country as a Marine during the Korean War, then after his honorable discharge, he completed his Wood Products Merchandising degree.

On March 23, 1957, Bob married his special gal Mae Anderson, whom he had met at a church rally at the University of Minnesota. Together they had three children, Bryan, Mark and Kathi, and enjoyed almost 60 years of marriage.

Bob had a lifelong appreciation of just about anything pertaining to wood and the wood industry. He managed several lumber yards and wood-treating facilities in Wisconsin and Minnesota. He was also an avid wood carver and wood worker.

In 1968, the family relocated to St. Louis, Mo., where Bob worked for Wood Treating Chemicals Company, a subsidiary of Monsanto. While there, he founded and established the Greater St. Louis Woodcarving Association, which still exists and flourishes today, 50 years later.

In 1974, Bob moved his family to Sandpoint, Idaho, where he managed a pole yard for Butcher Wood Preserving. He spent many contented hours working there in his hardhat and boondockers, his cocker spaniel at his heels, and is fondly remembered by many in the area.

In 1984, Bob and Mae opened the Kitchen Konnection, which operated out of the Silver Lake Mall in Coeur d’Alene for several years. In addition, Bob ran a mobile vinyl repair business, which kept him hopping and earned him the nickname “Vinyl Bob.”

He worked faithfully in his late 60s for more than three years to help daughter Kathi and son-in-law Rob build their house. Finally, at age 75, Bob grudgingly gave into health limitations and retired.

Bob loved to support and to be involved in community causes — he was a member of the Coeur d’Alene Kiwanis club for more than 20 years, and played an active part in planning and building the Fort Sherman Playground at the Coeur d’Alene City Park. He served as a board member for North Idaho Youth Ranch in the ’70s. Bob was a jack-of-all-trades, always willing to lend a helping hand to anyone on all sorts of projects. He was a great practical problem solver. He loved to interact with people, trading stories and opinions. He was artistic, creative and musical.

His friends and colleagues will remember him for his excellent work ethic, table-napkin conversations and planning sessions in the Super 1 deli, his good natured ribbing and his friendly smile.

His children will remember him for his steady parenting, his love of corny jokes and trivia, his keen, understated wit, bellowing American folk songs on road trips, puttering in his woodshop, patiently teaching the use of various saws and woodworking tools, whittling in his rocking chair, encouraging creative hobbies, relishing Louis L’Amour novels, faithfully taking his family to church, leading camping adventures, strumming his ukulele, whistling between his teeth and his infectious grin. He taught them to be honest, to work hard and to finish the job. “Semper Fi” was a motto that fit him well.

He is survived by his loving wife, best friend and faithful caregiver, Mae; his sister, Jeanne Johnson of Southport, Ind.; his three children, Bryan and wife Nani of Colorado Springs, Mark and wife Marilyn of Spiceland, Ind., and daughter Kathi Nettleton and husband Rob of Athol; nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Bob’s celebration of life will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 1, 2017, at English Funeral Chapel, 1133 N. Fourth St., Coeur d’Alene. Bob’s ashes will eventually be placed at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, Wash.

Memorials may be made to Hospice House in Hayden, or ValorServiceDogs.org, which provides veterans with service dogs to meet their needs. Condolences for Mae may be sent to P.O. Box 462, Athol, ID 83801.