Charles Herbert Vincent

1928 – 2014

 

Charles Herbert Vincent was born on February 2, 1928, in Hamilton, Montana. His father, Frank, was 36 and his mother, Flossie, was 32. He had one sister, Marge, and three brothers; Frank, Donald (who died at the age of two from measles), and Darryl. His father died when Herb was 8 years old and in 1939, at the age of 11, he moved to, California so his older brother, Frank, could attend aviation school at the Curtis Wright Technical Institute in Glendale, California. Herb graduated from Burbank High School in 1946 .

 

Herb met Velma Boren on a blind date in 1947. He had a pilot’s license and loved to fly airplanes. His flight log reveals that his last flight was when he took Velma up for a flight over the San Fernando Valley! Herb and Velma married on April 9, 1949, in Los Angeles, California. They had three children; Karen, Bob, and Glenda; six grandchildren; Joshua, Jacob, Jericho, Jennifer, Rhonda, and John; and nine great grandchildren; Tim, Joshua, Britney, Gabriel, Dartaniah, Hannah, Jonathan, Grace, and Luke.

 

After graduation from high school, Herb went to work for A.E Peterson Manufacturing – (Peterson Baby Products) in Glendale, California. He worked for Arnie Peterson starting in the shipping department and working his way up to national sales representative.

 

In 1951, during the Korean War, Herb was called into active duty with the Air National Guard. He served in the 562nd United States Air Force Band at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Georgia and George Air Force Base in Victorville, California. He played the tuba in the marching band and string bass in the dance band and was eventually promoted to Staff Sergeant.

 

After the Korean War he returned to A.E. Peterson Manufacturing. Arnie and Herb shared a long friendship and in their later years they enjoyed collecting and working on antique automobiles together. Arnie introduced Herb and Velma to Emmanuel Church in Burbank in 1954 where they met their life-long friends, Pete and Kiva Peterson.

 

After years of being on the road for A.E. Peterson Manufacturing, in the 1960’s Herb decided to work closer to home so he could be with his family. He earned his real estate license and his broker’s license and eventually became a manager for Paul, White Carnahan Realty in Burbank, the same company his mother, Flossie had worked for. In the 1970’s Herb taught real estate licensing courses for the Burbank Unified School District Adult School.

 

Herb lived a life of service to others. In 1970 he joined the Burbank Kiwanis Club and served with distinction for 44 years until his death. No job was too small for Herb whether it be setting up chairs, leading singing, writing the newsletter, or serving as president of the Kiwanis Club. In 1974 Herb and Velma opened Vincent Realty and was elected president of the Burbank Board of Realtors.

 

In the 1980’s Herb served as a member and chairman of the Burbank Planning Commission for the City of Burbank.

 

Other areas of community service included:

• Emmanuel Church - member of the choir, member of the deacon board, and chairman of the church. Under Herb’s leadership, Emmanuel Church became affiliated with the Evangelical Free Church of America.

• Burbank Historical Society - docent and board member

• Burbank High School Alumni Association  - Editor for 10 years of the “Senior Bulldogs Newsletter”

 

Frank and Flossie Vincent’s five children were born over a 16-year period and the four surviving Vincent siblings all passed away over a 9-month period from September 2013 – June 2014

 

After suffering cardiomyopathy for several years, Herb received a heart transplant on November 12, 1993. This was in the early stages of organ transplantation. Herb was the 435th heart transplant recipient at UCLA and lived an additional 20 years with his new heart.

 

Herb was well respected and loved by all who knew him. It was only fitting that Herb, a man with a great heart, was given a second chance at life by receiving a heart transplant. He will be remembered as a loving husband, great father and grandfather, and friend to many.

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Herb passed away peacefully at his home on June 6, 2014, in Burbank, California, at the age of 86.

 

If you would like to share a memory of Herb with the family, please e-mail Velma Vincent at velmavincent@gmail.com

 

Donations in memory of Herb Vincent can be made to Emmanuel Church or the Burbank Noon Kiwanis Club c/o Dave Harris, Kiwanis Club Secretary, 2106 Hilton Drive, Burbank, California 91504