Herbert William Kebschull, 95, of St. Joseph Michigan, peacefully passed away on November 14th in Key West, Florida.

Herb's parents, Augusta Marie (Zordell) Kebschull and William Kebschull, migrated to America from Germany.  Herb was born on August 30, 1928, just before the start of The Great Depression.  Though times were tough for Herb and his family he found joy in simple pleasures like running track. As a graduate of St. Joseph High School, he earned a track scholarship to the University of Louisville.  Later he was accepted into the Navy's ROTC program at the University of Michigan. During this time, he courted and eventually married the love of his life, Frances Love. Their family grew to include four children, Gary, Greg, Kathy and Karyn and they grieved the loss of a daughter, Lisa Marie who lived only two weeks.

Herb was a career Navy Officer for 20 years, serving in various roles that took him and his family to naval bases around the world including such interesting places as Bermuda, Trinidad, Panama, and Midway Island.  Herb's last tour of duty brought him to Key West where he and Fran decided to make the island their forever home.  Retiring from the Navy in 1972, Herb began his second career with Monroe County Schools when he was recruited to be the Director for the Vocational Training for Disadvantaged Youth Program at Key West High School.  He later worked as a guidance counselor, and in his last career move he went on to become the Director of Transportation for Monroe County Schools.

Herb's Christian faith influenced his entire life.  He was an active member of Key West (Old Stone) United Methodist Church, filling the role of Head Usher, helping facilitate the Men's Prayer Breakfast meetings and teaching Adult Sunday School for many years.  It wasn't unusual to find Herb preparing for his Sunday School classes on Friday and Saturday afternoons, working to assure that each week's lesson was relevant for his class.

Herb was a devoted husband, a supportive father and grandfather, and loyal friend to many who knew and loved him. If you ever heard Herb say grace before a meal you knew he was ever grateful to have had such an incredible life, filled with so many blessings and friends.

During the past six years his daughter, Karyn, was his caregiver and constant companion, allowing him to live comfortably in the home he loved, to enjoy his plants in his backyard paradise, to go for a swim or to enjoy an evening of fishing up until his final days.  Without Karyn's excellent care and loving companionship Herb's final years would have been much different. We cannot express enough gratitude to Karyn for all she has done to take such wonderful care of our father and friend.

Preceded in death by his parents Augusta and William Kebschull, his wife Frances Kebschull, his brother Max Bruno Kebschull and his sisters Ann (Ignatovich) and Marie.

Herb is survived by his brother Willy Karl Kebschull, his son Gary Kebschull (Anthony Bordonaro), his son Greg Kebschull (Leslie), his daughter Karyn Bradshaw, and his daughter Kathy Robinson (Chris) their five children, Justin Tarbox, Jason, Kristopher, Kurtis and Emily Robinson, and four great-grandchildren, Noah and Kimberly Tarbox, Max and Hannah McBryer, and many nephews and nieces.

In lieu of flowers, please send contributions with a notation, "In memory of Herb Kebschull" to the Florida United Methodist Children's Home:

https://www.fumch.org/making-a-difference/make-a-donation/

or mail to Florida United Methodist Children's Home

Attention: Development Department, 51 Children's Way, Enterprise, FL 32725

Or locally, please donate to the Wesley House Family Services, 1304 Truman Ave. Key West, FL  33040.

Memorial services will be held at the Key West United Methodist Church 600 Eaton Street, Key West, FL 33040 on January 20, 2024 at 11AM.