Obituary of Herbert R. Hertel

Herbert R. Hertel Jr. passed away on August 10, 2014 at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz. He was almost 90 years old. Herb was born in Hemet, California to Ann La Borde and Herbert (Huck) Hertel Sr. on the ranch. After the family left the ranch, they lived in several different towns in Southern California, finally settling in Pasadena, California. He joined the Army Air Force in 1943 when he graduated High School and served three years. He was proud of being a World War II veteran. He earned a B.A. in Drama from Stanford University in 1948 and an M.A. from USC in 1951. After graduation, he worked in the mail room at Paramont Studios in Hollywood for a few years. When his father became ill in 1955, he moved back to his childhood home in Pasadena. During that time he acted in the Pasadena Play House Theater and began writing, a passion of a lifetime. He wrote and published various poems, short stories and plays under various names. In the years 1968 to 1976, Herbed worked in the USC Bookstore. When his mother retired in 1976 and bought a small hotel on the Esplanade in Capitola Village, Herb also retired and moved to Capitola. In 2002 a mobile home in Soquel, California became his home. Herb loved to read and collect books. He traveled extensively, liked playing duplicate bridge in a local bridge club and enjoyed the opera in San Francisco, going every season until 1999. Many knew him for his positive outlook on life, joy of living, intellect, and caring nature. He is survived by his sister, Minna Hertel; also his nieces Katy Hertel; Clare Hertel and husband, Mark Bryant, their daughter Paloma; Paula Hertel and husband, Joel Goldman and their children, Corey and Elissa; and his two nephews, Morgan Hertel and wife, Laura, and their children Stephen, Chistianne and Kristen; Joshua Hertel and his daughter Asha. He was predeceased by his brother Carl Hertel. A celebration of life is being celebrated by a small gathering of family and friends at the home of the widow of his 1948 college roommate.