Herbert was educated in New Salem, ND, and served in the U.S. Army from October 1941 to September 1945. He received the Philippine Liberation Medal with one Bronze Service Star and the Asiatic Pacific Service Medal.

A boilermaker affiliated with Union No. 647, he retired in 1982. Herbert particularly enjoyed gardening and taking his produce to the farmers market. He could repair almost anything and liked working with wood. His grandchildren loved to hear him play the accordion.


Herbert died at the Bismarck Hospital from asbestos-induced lung cancer. Asbestos was identified in August of 1994 and lung cancer in December of 1999. He died in 2003.