Robert James Herbert, 85, a resident of Cazenovia for nearly sixty years, passed away October 29, surrounded by his family. He was born September 17, 1930 in Syracuse to the late Martin W. and Mary A. Dougher Herbert. Raised with his brother Billy and sisters Katharine and Jane in the Tipperary Hill section of Syracuse, he attended St. Patrick’s School and Syracuse University’s School of Fine Arts. At SU, he was a member of the Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He was part of the first generation of television broadcasting in Syracuse, hired in 1953 as a graphic artist and assistant set designer at WHEN-TV (now WTVH) a few years after the station went on-air. His artwork featured prominently in local programs produced by the station, including the popular children’s favorite “The Magic Toyshop,” on which he worked with his fraternity brother and lifelong friend Socrates Sampson, who played Eddie Flum Num. Following his work in television, he had a long career as a self-employed commercial artist and sign painter.
He was a master of the lost art of hand-lettering, particularly the Old English style. His free-lance clients included IBM and his work for Ridge Associates garnered international attention as he continued to produce charts and graphic designs by hand in the digital age. His creative hand graces the walls of St. Peter’s Church’s nave and signs for the First Presbyterian Church and the Cazenovia Public Library, as well as businesses around town, including the Lincklaen House and Flowers on Main Street, and the Boathouse Restaurant on DeRuyter Lake. He often donated his talents to local non-profit causes. Trained as a fine artist, he painted throughout his life and exhibited for years in the annual Cazenovia Winter Festival Art Show.
Bob enjoyed both Syracuse and Colgate football and loved to reminisce about the rivalry between the two teams when he was at SU. He had a lifelong love of history, books, classic films, jazz and baseball, and coached Little League baseball in the 1960s. He was a devout fan of the New York Yankees, although in later years, broke all rules by rooting for the Boston Red Sox as well.
Above all, he was devoted to his wife Mary (who passed away in 2013) and to his family. He is survived by his son Martin Howard; daughters Linda M. Herbert, Carole A. Herbert and Laura Herbert Abernathy; sons-in-law Timothy Brachocki, Eric Goldacker and Brian Abernathy; daughter-in-law Sheila Wells; grandchildren Ewan Herbert Goldacker, Sophia, Tabitha, Matthew and Ian Abernathy and Jill Howard Marrotta; great-grandson Luca Marrotta; and his cat Marta.
A memorial service and remembrance will be held at the Stone’s Throw at the Lincklaen House on Saturday, November 14 at 3pm.
Donations may be made in Bob’s memory to the Cazenovia Lions Fireworks Fund, PO Box 83, Cazenovia, NY, 13035 or the Tioughnioga Lake Preservation Association Foundation, PO Box 476, DeRuyter, NY, 13052.

To view or leave a condolence. Please visit our Condolences Page.