Obituary: Michael Edward Hebert

Michael Edward Hebert of Jericho, VT and Venice, FL died at 7:30 Sunday evening, August 18, 2013, in Fletcher Allen Health Care following a succession of illnesses.  He was 69.

Mike was born in Hartford, CT on September 9, 1943 to Wilfred Emil and Felicia Hebert, the first of their five children.  He grew up in Newington, CT and was an avid hunter and fisherman as a youth.  He also started his work career, sharing a paper route with his brother Bill.  He worked for a landscaping business and a dress factory, maintaining sewing machines, and then started full time employment at Hamilton Standard in Windsor Locks, CT.  He worked there from December, 1961 until February, 1969, inclusive of four years of naval service.

Mike graduated from A.I.Prince Technical School in Hartford.  After service in the U.S. Navy (September, 1962 through August, 1966), he attended Ward Technical Institute in Hartford where he had been awarded a full tuition scholarship.  He graduated in January, 1969, earning an associates degree in Industrial Electronic Technology.

He was hired as a Senior Equipment Technician at IBM in Essex Junction, VT and moved to Vermont with his first wife, Margaret, and their two young children.  He worked at IBM for eight years before leaving to seek other challenges and growing out his hair.

In the twenty plus years prior to his retirement in 2004, he was partner/owner of Harbor Vintage Motor Company.  He applied his hunting skills to procuring parts for use in the restoration of antique American motorcycles in the shop and for sale to antique bike enthusiasts.  He was an early, unsung American Picker.  He restored several bikes for his own use, including his 1949 Harley with side car.  He was a member of the Antique Motorcycle Association.  He had a personal collection of motorcycle literature which he considered his retirement fund.

Mike married the love of his life, Olga (Hodgetts) on June 29, 1994.  They shared many travel adventures with a month in New Zealand, a week long raft trip through the Grand Canyon, and winter vacations in Abaco, the Bahamas among them.  For the past eight years,  Mike and Olga spent winters in Venice Florida, where they purchased a home in 2011.  Mike was a well-known collector of sharks' teeth on Caspersen Beach in Venice.  He was also a prolific reader of nonfiction with a particular interest in history.

Mike was predeceased by his parents Wilfred E. Hebert, Sr. and Felicia (D'Angelo) Hebert; also his brother Harvey Hebert; his brother Wilfred E. Hebert, Jr. (Bill); his sister-in-law and Bill's wife,  Elizabeth Hebert.

He leaves his wife Olga Hebert of Jericho and Venice.  He also leaves his daughter Renee Myers and her husband Charles of North Augusta, SC; his son Ken and his wife Maureen of Watsonville, CA; and his grandchildren: Elizabeth, Johnathan, Will, and Jackson Myers, Gianna and Angela Hebert.

Mike is also survived by his sister Jeannie Leonard and her husband Shawn of Simsbury, CT; his brother Tom and his wife Jean of Manchester, CT; nephews Greg Hebert and Kieran Leonard; nieces Emily Hebert, Margot Hebert, and Melissa Hebert.

It caused him great sadness to be predeceased by his hound dogs Charlie and Old Pete and his cranky cat Jaxson.  They reserve a special place for him in animal heaven.

He leaves Olga's siblings and their children, Olga's son Kevin and daughter Amy, and her two grand children Kristen and Dane, all of whom loved him as family; numerous cousins; a host of special friends; and grateful customers worldwide.  His wealth and depth of knowledge will be greatly missed in so many circles.

A celebration of Mike's life will be held at the convenience of the family later in September.  He died as he lived, on his own terms.

     "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."  Ralph Waldo Emerson