Robert Paul Herbst

Robert Paul Herbst died at Cleveland Clinic (Timken) Mercy Medical Center on June 26, 2026, in Canton, OH. He was born in Canton to Robert Edward & Annie (Fehn) Herbst on Nov. 20, 1935. He was preceded in death by his wife Judy Elzada (Hess) Herbst on June 28, 2008. His only sibling Thomas Edward Herbst died on June 28, 1970.

He grew up in the Catholic faith, attending St. Joseph Grade School; & Central Catholic High School (CCHS) in Canton, graduating in 1953. He served in the U.S Air Force ROTC Wing Detachment #630 at Kent State University (KSU) as a cadet from 1953-55, training in a T-33A Shooting Star, & training at Eglin as well as Lockbourne Air Force bases. This experience led him to have a lifelong interest in flying. He graduated from KSU in Dec. 1956 with a BAEd specializing in Industrial Arts. He met the love of his life Judy, who was a dental hygienist, who was amused by Dad’s ability to wiggle his ears while sitting in the dentist’s chair. In Dec. 1956, he married Judy at St. Peter’s Church in Canton, officiated by the Rev. Fr. Vincent Scharff.

He taught Industrial Arts for 2 years at CCHS, and, as the Nation moved rapidly into space exploration, he obtained several National Science Foundation grants to study mathematics at Hamilton College, Drake Univ., & Stanford Univ. In the late 1950s, he began teaching at Chippewa High School in Doylestown. He obtained his MSEd from The Univ. of Akron in 1970. While studying for his master’s in mathematics at Stanford, he was appointed Principal at Chippewa, where he became nicknamed by the students as “Secret Squirrel.” He demonstrated a motivational interest in students, personally writing a note of encouragement on each student’s quarterly grade report. He was so beloved, the students at Chippewa dedicated the 1978 yearbook in his honor.

In 1980, he founded the computer science dept. at Chippewa. His professional career lasted through May 1997.

He volunteered with numerous organizations throughout his life with the same dynamism, resoluteness & discipline that reflected his home & professional life. As a youth, he was an altar server & a member of BSA Troop 16 of St. Joseph Church in Canton. In his adult life, he was a local speaker for the Cursillo movement, & was a 2nd degree member of K of C Council 554. He served as a Den Leader for St. Mary’s Pack 903 & later as a BSA merit badge counselor. He sang baritone with the St. Mary Men’s Choir of Massillon from 1965-1980, during which time the choir produced 3 vinyl LP records. He assisted Judy in the formation & operation of the volunteer music organizations that served as a Stark County Catholic Scouting religious award service vehicle for Girl Scouts, Cub Scouts & Boy Scouts, under the names of The Royal Supremes, The Singing Seraphs & The Lines & Spaces, which toured nursing & children’s homes throughout the 1970s. Later in life, he delivered meals to many Stark County residents for the Meals on Wheels program.

He is survived by sons Robert (Beth Ann) of North Canton; Raymond (Krista) of Wadsworth; & Richard (LingYi) of Brunswick; grandchildren Ryan (Leticia) of Wadsworth; Devon (Steven) Hill of Medina; & Matthew (Lauren) of Wadsworth; & great-grandchildren Idella Herbst of Clyde, & Octavian. Not only was he a devoted father, grandfather & great-grandfather, he was also devoted to many cousins from the families of Margaret (Duerr) Herbst; Alexander & Mary (Galajda) Fehn; Victor & Clio White Hess; including Linus & Vivian (Duerr) Egert; Harry & Elizabeth (Fehn) Maurer; Tom & Mary (Fehn) Whiteside, & Jacob (Jake) & Marjorie (Herbst) Warther.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at St. Joseph Catholic Church, 2427 Tuscarawas St. W., Canton, on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. with Rev. Fr. Bryan Tutas presiding. Following the Mass, the burial will be private, led by Rev. Fr. Edward Gretchko.

Donations in his memory may be made to the sound system improvement fund for The Guardian Angels Parish, 166 Bordner Ave., Canton, OH 44710.