Obituary 

Asheville - David Furman Herbert, 91, of Asheville, North Carolina, passed away March 21, 2022, at his home in the Kenilworth Community. Born September 30, 1930 in Raleigh, North Carolina to the late Reverend Furman and Ruth Herbert, he graduated from Wofford College and later earned his Masters of Social Work degree from Florida State University. Married to his beloved wife, Dorothy Wood Herbert (1935-2019), for 60 years, he is survived by three children: Patricia Herbert Umhau, Charles Furman Herbert, Douglas Wood Herbert, and their spouses, John, Cathie, and Heidi. He is also survived by six grandchildren: William, Lauren, Thomas, Hannah, Sarah Wood, Lydia, his sister, Anne Mai, and several nieces and nephews, including Anne Brooks and David Peterson.

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A veteran of the United States Air Force and recipient of the American Spirit Honor Medal, Mr. Herbert's early years were in Wilmington, NC, experiencing the hustle and bustle of a port critical to America's involvement in World War II. As the eldest son of a Methodist minister, he and his family were called to go where the church needed them. That willingness to continue the adventure was a dominating theme throughout Mr. Herbert's life.

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For many summers growing up, Mr. Herbert stayed at the Herbert family cottage in Lake Junaluska, NC, where he worked as lifeguard and captain of the Cherokee boat. His family members, both immediate and extended, continue to summer in their beloved cottage, now a registered North Carolina historic home. Ever the adventurer, Mr. Herbert celebrated his 21st birthday while working aboard a merchant ship traveling around the horn of Africa. That indominable spirit continued with camping, cross-country, and backpacking trips and even climbs to the top of Mt. Whitney with his family.

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Civic duty was a guiding principle for Mr. Herbert, but it was the passion for helping people, particularly the underserved, that defined who he was both to his family and the community. That drive to empower others was honed through his education as a social worker and early involvement in the civil rights movement, which compelled both himself and his wife, also a social worker, to participate in helping to break segregation barriers. Newly married and living in Washington, DC, Mr. Herbert worked as a Federal Probation Officer, helping young men towards a more productive life.

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Mr. Herbert and his young family moved to Roanoke, VA, where he was the founding executive director of the Roanoke Valley Health and Welfare Planning Council and served as the President of the Virginia State Council, National Association of Social Workers. Subsequently they moved to Greensboro, NC, where Mr. Herbert served as executive director for the Children's Home Society of North Carolina and was instrumental in creating the first-ever foster program for infants waiting to be adopted. Mr. Herbert also served as NC Planning Delegate to the White House Conference on Children and Youth.

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The consummate adventurer, Mr. Herbert next accepted the position as Regional Director for the Children's Home Society of California and took his family westward. He and his wife stayed for over twenty years, raising their children in Southern California. During that time, Mr. Herbert was characteristically proactive in the community, with roles including the Chair of the Orange County Health Planning Council; Chair of the Southern California Council on Youth; Chair of the Orange County Social Services Advisory Commission; Member of the California Governor's Commission on Crime and Delinquency Prevention, all while continuing his service work, including Directorship of Community Services for the United Way of Orange County and maintaining a private practice in family counseling.

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Once their children were grown, David and Dorothy returned to the Southeast where Mr. Herbert was engaged as the Founding Executive Director for the Cabell Brand Center for International Poverty Studies at the Roanoke College campus in Salem, VA. He traveled globally, learning and applying better ways to engage and support people who were faced with the bleak outlook of economic scarcity.

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Not long after, the Herberts found their way back to Asheville, an area formative in Mr. Herbert's early youth. For more than 30 years, Mr. Herbert was involved in countless professional, volunteer, and civic Asheville activities. As Director of Development for the Grove Arcade Public Market Foundation, Mr. Herbert was instrumental in bringing back to life a once empty federal building. As Director of Development for the Clean Water Fund of North Carolina, Mr. Herbert was a staunch advocate for protection of the Western Carolina natural waterways. His volunteerism spanned over a dozen interests close to his heart, including the Asheville Urban Trail Committee, American Red Cross Emergency Services, the American Legion, the North Carolina Governor's Advisory Council on Aging, serving as President to his neighborhood association, and even offering walking tours through the downtown as 'Mr. Asheville'.

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With a warm charisma that made friends of strangers, Mr. Herbert's proactive and passionate involvement in the community of Asheville was inspirational to all who knew him. As a graduate of the Asheville Corporate and Police Academy's leadership program for seniors, he supported law enforcement in many ways, including organizing Crime Stopper groups amongst the Asheville senior community. His love for the Blue Ridge Parkway was instrumental in the placing of signs at every entrance to the famous roadway which encouraged visitors to "keep their Parkway trash-free".

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While most retirees tend to settle into their golden years, Mr. Herbert was just getting warmed up. A life-long health advocate, Mr. Herbert furthered his passion for running by competing in the Senior Olympic Games. Over the years, until just months before passing, he participated in dozens of track and field events, representing Asheville in his respective age bracket at the regional and national levels, bringing home the gold. He used his many hard-won medals to honor members of the community whom he believed were supportive to seniors, presenting a gold medal as a token of appreciation to many: a polite sub-sandwich maker, a thoughtful healthcare worker, a helpful grocery store worker, and on and on.

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Throughout his life, you could always find man's best friend not far from Mr. Herbert's side, answering to the call of Lassie, Mitzi, April, Boomer, and Skipper. Whether he was teaching one to shoot baskets, inventing puzzles for another to solve, or enjoying the companionship of a running buddy, Mr. Herbert's love for his dogs was only superseded by his love for family.

For seven years Mr. Herbert and his wife were active members in the Crowfields community, but most of their time in Asheville was spent as residents of Kenilworth. After the passing of his wife, Mr. Herbert returned to the same house on Kenilworth Lake he and his wife had shared for over 20 years. The final years of Mr. Herbert's life were filled with generosity and community. He welcomed neighbors and friends onto his property to freely enjoy the lakefront and stroll through what he named "Dorothy's Woods".

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A man of rare conviction and character, Mr. Herbert exemplified Will Roger's expression regarding fatherhood: "His heritage to his children wasn't words or possessions, but an unspoken treasure, the treasure of his example as a man and father."