Tribute

Herb was born on April 4, 1935, in Matsqui, British Columbia, to Abe Stobbe and Mary (Kornelson) Stobbe. The third of eight children, he grew up on the family farm and attended South Poplar School and later MEI.

Herb was baptized in a gravel pit on Wamsley Road near Albert Dyck Lake when he was 15.  The Stobbe family all became members of South Abbotsford Church, and Herb joined the church choir and sang tenor in the weekly choir for over 50 years.

In 1958, Herb married his first wife, Margaret (Ewert), and they had four sons: Bryan, Greg, Doug and Buzz. The family were active members of South Abbotsford Church. In the late 1960s, he founded Herb’s Construction Company, working independently for much of his career before joining his son, Buzz, where he specialized in finishing work.

In 2007, Herb married his second wife, Luella (Falk) Berg. Together, they shared many travels and fond memories, including trips to Mexico and a special Panama Canal cruise. During retirement, he loved visiting his sons and their families – Greg in California and Doug in Texas.  He often attended his grandchildren’s sports games, concerts and competitions. Herb was a regular at Tim Hortons, where he could be found most mornings at 11:15 with a dark roast coffee and a cookie before his customary drive to check on Buzz’s jobs. Herb was a passionate sports fan and longtime BC Lions and Vancouver Canuck season ticket holder. He spent many evenings watching sports on television.

Herb is survived by his wife, Luella Stobbe, and her children; Sandra, Don and Norm: his sons Doug (Julie) Stobbe and Buzz (Trish) Stobbe; his sisters Anne Neufeld, Bettye (Tom) O’Malley, and Dorothy (John) Friesen; his brother Dave (Helga) Stobbe; his grandchildren Brianna (Stan) Phillips, Brittany, Brooke, Alanna, Connor, Katie and Colby Stobbe; and his great-grandchildren Autumn and Branson Phillips.

He was predeceased by his sons Bryan (1960-1962) and Greg (1962-2025) and his daughter-in-law Geena (1962-2020).

It is with deep sorrow that we mourn the passing of Herb, our Papa, who left us peacefully on October 19, 2025, at the age of 90. He was a devoted husband to Luella, a proud father to Bryan, Greg, Doug and Buzz, and an adored Papa to his seven grandchildren.

A Celebration of Life will be held at South Abbotsford Church on Thursday, November 13, 2025 at 1:00pm.