HERB, EDMOUND
Edmound Jerald Herb Jr. (Big Ed) died of liver cancer December 9, 2011 at home in the arms of his beloved, surrounded by friends and loved ones. At Thanksgiving he stated that he had made his peace with God and was ready to join Him. Although he had shown interest in several different religions, he declared himself a Baptist.
Ed was born in Lake City July 29, 1950 and lived most of his life in North Central Florida. In his youth he was a member of the Boy Scouts, the Four H Club and the Future Farmers of America (FFA). His FFA teams won many competitions. In 1967, the land judging team won the state competition and went to nationals in Kansas City. He never lost his appreciation of livestock and gardening and enjoyed going to the Florida State Fair in the last year of his life.
Graduating from Gainesville High School in 1968, Ed played football for the GHS Purple Hurricanes. He earned his bachelors and masters degrees in rehabilitation counseling from the University of Florida. He was a Florida Gator fan. He worked for the State of Florida at Tacachale and the Department of Corrections as a mental health counselor.
He loved to fish and kayak the waterways of Florida. One memorable trip was getting stuck overnight on the Oklawaha river surrounded by hundreds of glowing alligator eyes. Traveling was another love. In May of this year he was thrilled to get to the Museum of Natural History in New York City to see the African animal collection of Teddy Roosevelt. In 2007 he marveled at the monarch butterfly migration in Mexico.
He enjoyed riding his Honda Goldwing in his last months.
For twenty five years Ed was sober by the grace of God with the help of the fellowship of Alcoholics Anonymous. Generously sharing his experience, strength and hope with those seeking recovery from addictive illness, Big Ed helped hundreds of others get and stay sober. His influence was evident in the outpouring of love and support from the Gainesville AA community in the last weeks of his life. As people shared stories about Ed with his family, they got to learn a heartwarming side of him they had not been privileged to know.
Ed is survived by his mother, Edna (Townsend) Herb; sister, Rena (Jack) Ackley; nephews Benjamin and Jacob (Seanor); numerous cousins and his beloved, Annie Opuda. His father Edmound preceded him in death.
Ed was buried at Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery where he will be visited regularly by wild turkeys and sandhill cranes.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, January 7 at 2pm at the Vineyard Christian Fellowship church, 3536 NW 8TH Ave Gainesville.
Donations in his memory may be made to Haven Hospice, the Alachua Conservation Trust, Mayo Clinic or North Central Florida Intergroup.
Published in Gainesville Sun from January 4 to January 5, 2012