Thomas Lawrence Herbert Jr.

Rock Rapids, Iowa 

     Thomas “Tom” L. Herbert, Jr., age 82, of Rock Rapids, Iowa, died Monday, August 14, 2023, at Avera Merrill Pioneer Hospital in Rock Rapids. 

     Mass of Christian Burial will 11:00 AM, Friday, August 18th at Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids, IA, with Father Sunny Dominic as Celebrant. Burial will follow at the church cemetery.

     Visitation will be Thursday, August 17th from 4:00 to 8:00 PM, with the family present from 5:00 to 8:00 PM at Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids.

         In lieu of flowers memorials may be directed to the family for later designation.

     Thomas Lawrence Herbert, Jr. was born September 14, 1940, in Sioux City, Iowa, the son of Thomas L. and Shiela Fern (Bates) Herbert. He was raised on a family farm northwest of Rock Rapids, IA and attended country school. He then attended and graduated from Rock Rapids High School in 1958. He joined the U.S. Navy and proudly served his country on the USS Valley Forge, seeing a great deal of the world, including the Mediterranean Sea.  After serving 3 years, he was honorably discharged and returned home to Rock Rapids. He started working part-time at the local lumberyard, then Armour Meat Packing in Huron, SD. and Omaha, NE. He then moved to Sioux City, IA and worked for his uncle at Bomgaars Farm Supply, before returning to Rock Rapids to farm with his Dad and uncles.

     On July 2, 1970, Tom married Norma Hammerback at St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church, in Crofton, Nebraska. They moved to the Herbert Family Farm on Hwy 75, north of Rock Rapids, where they were blessed with six children. Tom and Norma remained there, raising their children, dairy cattle, beef cattle and crop farmed. Tom and Norma milked cows until September of 2004, when their children had all graduated from high school.  Tom and Norma continued to grain farm and feed cattle. On January 3, 2014, Tom’s wife, Norma, passed away after her 4 year battle with cancer. 

     On January 13, 2018, Tom and Linda (Grave) Honrath married at Holy Name Catholic Church in Rock Rapids, Iowa.  They continued to live on the Herbert family farm.  In early 2023, Tom was diagnosed with A.L.S.  He continued to farm with his long-time hired hand and friend, Kevin Geerdes, as his health allowed. 

     Tom was a member of Holy Name Catholic Church, a Lyon County Farm Bureau board member, and an Honorary Chapter Farmer of the Central Lyon FFA.  Tom will be remembered as a devoted family man, with a quiet and humble disposition.  

     This past Monday, August 14, 2023, Thomas L. Herbert, Jr. died at the Avera Merrill Pioneer Hospital in Rock Rapids, at the age of 82. Left to cherish his memory is his wife, Linda Honrath of Rock Rapids, IA; six children, Krista (Greg) Jochum of Salix, IA, Karen Jorenby of Brookings, SD, TL (Rochelle) Herbert of Rock Rapids, IA, Joni (Cyrus) Heisner of Mineral Point, WI, Jeanne (Ben) Hollingshead of Ogden, IA and Natalie (Billy) Kirch of Rock Rapids, IA; twenty-three grandchildren, Madison, Taylor, Ashleigh and Garrett Jochum; John, Jacob, Clare and Luke Jorenby; Ryan Sniezek, Thomas, Mason, and Collin Herbert; Emily, Lily and Rachel Heisner; Will, Nora, Owen, Walt, and Henry Hollingshead; Brady, Aubrey and Clayton Kirch. Also left to mourn Tom’s passing are Linda’s eight children, Laura (Paul) Winckler of Harrisburg, SD, Eric (Kate) Popkes of Emmet, NE, Kristen Mollet Sioux City, IA, John (Emily) Honrath of Portage, PA, Sarah (Robert) Gehm of Yankton, SD, Rachel (Joseph) Turner of Irving, TX, James Honrath of Yankton, SD and Ann Honrath of Larchwood, IA; sixteen step-grandchildren, Benjamin, Emily, and Caleb Winckler; Luke, Claire, Jacob, Seth, and Jack Popkes; Johannah  and Mia Mollet; Frances, Jane, and Eleanor Turner; Frederick and Matilda Gehm and Florence Honrath; two sisters, Sally (David) Poe of Albuquerque, NM and Mary Burgfechtel of Sioux City, IA; sisters-in-law, Janice (Marv) Burbach of Lincoln, NE and Delores (Dave) Hames of Bennington, NE, and many other nieces, nephews and other extended family.

     Tom was preceded death by his parents, Thomas Sr. and Shiela Herbert, and loving wife of 43 years, Norma Jean Herbert.

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