Alexander "Zan" Salley Herbert, Jr.'s Obituary
Alexander (Zan) Salley Herbert, Jr, 92, of Huntersville, NC passed away on Sunday April 28, 2024. He was born on October 16, 1931, in Orangeburg, SC to the late Alexander Salley Herbert, Sr and Julia Andrews Boone.
He had been an active member of the Episcopal Church of the Epiphany, in Richardson, TX and St Dunstan’s Episcopal Church in Succasunna, NJ. Zan was a US Air Force veteran who served in the Korean War, where he worked to repair B-29 Bombers. He was a graduate of the Citadel with a degree in Electrical Engineering and received his Master’s Degree in Science, from Duke University. He was an Electrical Engineer for Bell Labs where he was a pioneer in radar defense systems. It was at Bell Labs where he met the love of his life, Susan. He was tasked by his boss with taking her to buy golf clubs and were inseparable for the next 64 years. He was assigned to the Kwajalein, Marshall Islands missile defense system project from 1968 through 1971 where he designed radars that our military utilizes to this day.
An avid baseball fan, he was a Championship winning coach in the Roxbury Little and Roxbury Big Leagues. He relished telling stories of his baseball exploits as a youth with his lifelong friend, Red Fox. Zan loved the beaches of North and South Carolina where he enjoyed crabbing and body surfing. He served as the President of the Roxbury High School Band Parents Association. He was a volunteer math tutor to underprivileged students in Dallas/Richardson, TX area and worked for years at the Network Food Pantry in Richardson, TX. And most of all, he enjoyed the telling of his stories to his four grandsons.
In addition to his parents, Alexander is preceded in death by his brother, Charles Julian Herbert and sister, Julia Boone Herbert. He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Susan Smith Herbert; their children, Julia Ann Herbert, Alexander (Andy) S. Herbert, III, and John Matthew Herbert (wife; Karen), all of Huntersville, NC; grandsons, Alex IV, Zachary, Jake, and Conor; and many nephews, nieces, and cousins.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, May 11, 2024, 11am at James Funeral Home of Huntersville.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Network of Community Ministries, 1500 International Parkway, Suite 300, Richardson, TX 75081
James Funeral Home, of Huntersville, is serving the family and obituary lovingly written by the family.
What’s your fondest memory of Alexander?
What’s a lesson you learned from Alexander?
Share a story where Alexander's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Alexander you’ll never forget.
How did Alexander make you smile?