Herbert William Gaudreau

Herbert William Gaudreau arrived into this world on January 5th, 1941 in Quincy, Massachusetts, to Norma and Herb (Herbie) Gaudreau. Herb’s father built and sold a rowing dory to pay for the hospital bill. Two years later, Herb’s sister Marcella was born, and 17 years after that, Herb’s sister Michelle joined the family. The Gaudreau family moved to Holbrook, Massachusetts not long after Herb was born, where they lived at 230 N Franklin Street. Herb was predeceased by his father (1975), mother (2015), sister Michelle (2019), Herb and Rona’s premature son William (1980), and Herb’s daughter Maria (2011). Herb was an uncle to Cristina and Monica Vazquez, the children of Michelle and her husband Jesus Vazquez, and to Michael Provost and Suzanne Provost Flanders, the children of his sister Marcella and her husband Glenn Provost. Herb was a great uncle to Trevor and Devon, the sons of Michael, and to Christian and Hannah, the children of Suzanne and her husband Josh. All of Herb’s remaining family currently reside in Massachusetts. Herb also took great pride in being an uncle to Carolyn and Annie, the daughters of Rona’s brother Richard Bauer and his wife Renay. Here again, Herb enjoyed being a great uncle to Anthony, the son of Carolyn and husband Chuong Le. Unfortunately, Herb never got to meet his great-niece Kiri and his great-nephew Scott, the young children of Annie and her husband Ken Ferrier. Herb appreciated being a brother-in-law to Rona’s sister, Margaret Bauer, and always enjoyed political conversations with her and helping care for her dogs. Herb is survived in his immediate family by his wife Rona, son Paul, Paul’s son Lukas Gaudreau, and Maria’s son Zachery Harris.

Herb graduated in 1960 from Holbrook High School where he played some football but loved and excelled in track and field. He continued running for several years, and while serving in the Navy overseas, he was transported to different military track meets. Many years later after having arthroscopic knee surgery, Herb won first place in the Senior 400-meter race at the Naval Submarine Base in Bangor, Washington; Herb gifted the ribbon to his knee surgeon! During Herb’s later years in high school, his art teacher Bob Kindlen, English teacher Grace Pullo (who later married Mr. Kindlin), and beloved industrial shop teacher Charlie Chassen all made a huge impact on his life. Over the years, Herb often referred to what they taught him and how appreciative he was of their interest in him. Mr. Chassen taught Herb about the 7 P’s (you’ll have to ask Rona about that in person) and his famous question of “now, what did we learn today, Billy?” when a project didn’t go as well as expected. Mr. Kindlen was responsible for getting Herb’s artwork seen and appreciated, and Mr. Kindlen’s encouragement spurred Herb to enter and win the Boston Globe’s Art Scholarship to the New England School of Art in Boston. Unfortunately, the scholarship didn’t include money for art supplies, so Herb had to improvise for materials, which was a real hardship, so eventually he had to let go of the scholarship. During high school and also immediately following, Herb had a variety of jobs including working at Woody’s Flying A gas station, putting up fencing, and installing windows with a fellow named Red Green, who encouraged Herb to believe in himself and that he could and would accomplish whatever he set his mind to. Herb also did a brief stint at an industrial waste removal job (shoveling animal dung at a farm), and at a lumber mill, where he worked with a guy who would say, “isn’t it great to have a job Billy?” when they were working in bad weather.

In February 1963, Herb enlisted in the United States Navy. He scored the highest grade recorded in Boston at that time on his Navy entrance exam, which was noted in the local paper. Herb went to boot camp in Great Lakes, Illinois and was the Honor Graduate in his class! He found boot camp easy because he was so physically fit and already had a deep knowledge of knots, maritime terms, and navigation at sea. Herb then went on to Opticalman A school and finished first in his class, which gave him his choice of orders. He picked the newest construction which was the USS Holland (AS-32). He reported to the pre-commissioning crew in Pascagoula, Mississippi, and was then sent on to Charleston, South Carolina to wait for the ship to arrive. Herb was assigned to the periscope shop where he worked to prepare the shop to service submarines at sea. As a submarine tender, the Holland was designed to serve as a floating repair facility for Polaris Submarines; the ship was big, blunt, and top heavy, and therefore did not glide through the water gracefully. During the mid-winter Atlantic crossing to the Holland’s new homeport in Rota, Spain, the crew experienced very rough waters. At one point, Herb was a starboard lookout when one of the mess cooks mistook a jug of liquid detergent for vegetable oil while making pancakes that morning. Herb was spared from eating these pancakes as he was on watch at the time, but a great number of men were immobilized with sickness and were unable to report to duty, thus causing Herb to work long hours.

Herb very much enjoyed his time and experiences while serving in Rota, and he traveled extensively both for work and in his time off. It was while serving in Rota that Herb met and married his first wife, Josephine Garcia, on August 6th, 1966. On February 9th, 1967, their son Paul was born. Herb then left the Navy in October of 1967 with a reserve commitment of two years. The family moved to Holbrook, Massachusetts and stayed with Herb’s parents for a brief period of time while Herb sought work. In January 1968, Herb re-enlisted in the Navy and was attached to the Naval Photographic Center in Washington D.C. Herb found his work there interesting but also very stressful due to what he referred to as the “spook” nature of it. It was during this time that Herb helped recover some film from the United States moon landing; he later received some printed images of those photos from the government that Paul now has in his possession. During this time, Herb also had a photo published in a Washington D.C. paper of some flooding near the Pentagon. Glenn, Marcella, and little Michael also lived in D.C. at that time, and they lived in the same apartment complex as Herb and his family. Later, Glenn and Marcella moved to Martha’s Vineyard, where they very happily settled down permanently. From 1968 to 1974, Herb served in Guam and in Charleston, South Carolina. While Herb made friends with the locals in Guam and had good motorcycle riding partners during his time there, the same cannot be said for his time in South Carolina. He did not enjoy his professional work in South Carolina and was dismayed at the stark racial divide; he vowed never to return.

Maria was born to Herb and Josephine on September 6th, 1976 in Bremerton WA while he was assigned to the shipyard. Not long thereafter the Navy ordered Herb to move to Charleston. Herb decided to decline these orders because Paul was ready to begin school, and also because Herb didn’t want Paul to be exposed to the racial divides. Refusing orders meant that Herb had to get out of the Navy. Herb’s divorce was finalized in early 1979. The US Puget Sound Naval Shipyard was happy to hire him, so Herb worked there from March 1974 to February 1980. Herb and Rona were married on July 14th, 1979 at Scenic Beach State Park, Washington. The couple had a picnic atmosphere and rode off on their motorcycle and new life together. When Herb left the shipyard, he transferred to the Naval Submarine Base in Bangor, where he worked in the periscope and antenna shop- one of his big jobs was to help set up and organize the shop so they could service new Trident Submarines. Later he moved to the planning department where he thoroughly enjoyed his work and had some wonderful relationships with his co-workers.

In November 1988, Herb accepted the position of Naval Ship Systems Engineering Station Antenna Representative at Holy Loch, Scotland. Herb and Rona lived in the town of Dunoon in a small cottage built in the 1600s. The couple had an absolutely wonderful time living in Scotland, and did as much touring as Herb’s work schedule would allow. Herb and Rona visited Ireland, England, much of Scotland, the Isle of Man Tourist Trophy motorcycle races twice, and took a three-week motorcycle trip to Germany. The Isle of Man Tourist Trophy race was a dream of Herb’s to attend ever since he was a young kid and their English neighbor, John Downey, first introduced Herb to the world of motorcycles. Herb got his first bike from John, which was a two-stroke Bantam. Herb and Rona returned home to Bremerton in December 1990, where Herb continued working in Civil Service until his retirement. All together Herb served our country in the US Navy for 11 years and as a Civil Service employee for 20 years. His expertise was well respected and he earned many awards.

Herb was a member of the Bremerton Cruisers Motorcycle Club, Vintage Motorcycle Enthusiasts Club, and the Washington State BMW Motorcycle Club. He spent a good many years helping to build and maintain dirt bike riding trails in the local area, and also enjoyed camping with Rona, Paul, Maria, and his fellow motorcycle pals. Herb coached Paul’s soccer team and basketball team for a few years. He really enjoyed working with and encouraging all of the boys- he was sure to provide equal playing time to all the players, not just the good ones. Herb cared about people young and old.

Herb would describe himself as a master tinkerer. He absolutely loved using his mind and skills to create a new tool or a specialized piece of equipment. He truly loved working on motorcycles and would get absorbed for hours on end in his shop and garage. This time for him was like breathing, he needed it; it relaxed him and challenged his mind. Herb would derive deep satisfaction from creating, whether it was something mechanical or something artsy. What tickled him most was when he could create what he needed out of what he had on hand. Herb could repair practically anything. He and Paul share the same ability and talent of being able to just look at something, understand how it works, and then be able to fix it. Herb was always thinking about the next project and how to create.

Herb described himself as a “motorcycle enthusiast”, and he even used that term on business cards that he made for himself when he retired! He loved it all; motorcycle touring, dirt bike riding, motorcycle enduros, racing, watching racing, timed trials. Herb also loved the natural world and enjoyed spending time outdoors. This is a trait he likely inherited from his father, who was a very skilled outdoorsman and nature lover. Herb’s grandfather Dunn was the biggest influence in Herb’s young life, and Herb’s deep connection to his grandfather never faded or waned. While Rona didn’t have the chance to meet grandfather Dunn, she loves him deeply for all that he gifted to Herb in terms of love and encouragement, morale guidance, and skills with tools.

Several of Herb’s favorite memories involved motorcycle trips, especially his return trip to the Isle of Man with his long-term motorcycle buddy, Ralph Noble. Another special trip took place during Herb and Rona’s 5-year wedding anniversary, where they traveled across the country on motorcycles with 16-year-old Paul to attend Herb’s sister Michelle’s wedding to Jesus. Herb and Rona’s last trip together was in the summer of 2023, when the couple and their trusty dog Katie drove out to Massachusetts to say goodbye to all the east coast family. Herb and Rona felt so blessed to be able to do that, and they made some great memories with everyone there. Herb loved traveling, and through this love he helped Rona see so much more of the world than she had ever dreamed possible. The following words are from Rona:

“In the immediate few days of Herb’s passing I felt so much gratitude for having the solid, secure, endearing, and enduring love of this precious and special man. In the last months he developed a new saying for me, and he would say, “I love, love, love you”, just once wasn’t enough. We were so tender and loving with each other. Herb gifted me a lifetime of love and precious, everlasting memories. I am so blessed and honored to have been his Mrs. Gaudreau. My #1 favorite trait in Herb was his personal integrity. He loved well and was well loved. It has been such a delight to receive so many notes sharing with me how obvious our love and devotion to each other was. We surely knew it, but it is lovely that others knew it also.”




Memories of Herb:

Morgan Treat
I’m so sorry for your loss
I will miss him a lot. I’m happy that I made him laugh and I’m happy that I made his day and I will
miss his laugh and his hugs and his voice

From Patty Jones:
My payers are with you - May God bless you and keep you. You and Herb were good to and
good for each other. I think you were always best with each other!
Herb lives on in the moments and memories of all of us who were fortunate enough to know him
while he was here. ❤️

From Kaylan:
I have so many memories and almost all of them make me crack up...Riley with his doggles in
the sidecar and choc ice cream ��, Herb helping pull the shrubs out and me flying backwards
down your driveway on the riding mower and of course all of your travel stories. Tootsie and
Bailey hanging out...I asked Paul what the first memory he had of Herb and it was how much he
hated grass and how smart that was ���� big hugs! Kaylan

From Monica:
Good afternoon Aunt Rona. I just got out of my morning laboratory at school and got a call from
my father telling me the news. I just want to say I am incredibly saddened by the news, but also
feel an odd sense of relief. I think the relief stems from knowing he is at peace. I felt very
similarly when we lost my mom 5 years ago now. What an overwhelming mix of emotions to
process, and I assume you must feel similarly. I am truly in awe with how you cared for him and
handled everything. It really solidifies the fact you two were soulmates. I am so happy to have
you in my life and I am going to be thinking of you.

From Sister:
When I moved to Washington State from Washington DC Herb joined Rona in welcoming me
and my pets. He and my beagle, Samantha, really bonded and Natasha the cat startled poor
Herb one night by standing on his chest as he slept. Typically this did not annoy him but
amused him.

Susan Corcoran Battin
Oh Rona. I am so sorry to hear of your dear Herb’s passing. You truly were blessed with an
amazing man. I will be praying for you and your family and Herb’s little buddy. Who will now be
connected to you always. Love to you

Denise Craswell
Dear Rona, so very sorry to hear of Herbs passing. Jim and I are so very grateful for our fabulous visit recently. Herb will always being a special guy in our eyes.

Dolly Stroh Coss
Oh Rona I’m so sorry for your loss. I’ve been following your posts on this journey and I am
grateful for the many many angles lovingly helping you and Herb. He was truly a lovely man
who positively impacted everyone blessed by his presence.

Jann Smith
Your love for one another was so evident in everything you posted. I am sorry for your loss, yet
know that your beloved Herb is where he belongs. Thinking of you and your family at this time.

Liz Martinez
I'm so sorry for your loss, Rona, but glad you have been blessed with such a tender relationship
and such sweet memories of your life together.

Ray Uebner
So sorry for your loss, know you are in our prayers. I will always remember your visit to Auburn
Ca. At least he is not in pain anymore. With all our love to you.

Jennifer Weston
Sending love, hugs, and prayers to you and your family. I am so thankful for the times that I got
to spend with Herb.

Rod Russell
So very sorry to hear this Rona. Herb was such a good person and will be missed by many.

Karen Barrows
Oh, Rona, I am so sorry! I know this week was bad, and I am relieved that Herb is at peace, and
his passing was peaceful.
You two were a darling and sweet couple, and I know the sweet dog will miss him and need you.
I love you.

Jacque Hammond
Rona, What a wonderful life you shared with him. He was such a kind and caring man. May all
your cherished memories help you through this difficult time. Hugs

Weechon Havachon
I am so sorry to hear of Herbs passing. I feel so fortunate to have had the opportunity to meet
him. He is truly a beautiful person. My heart is with you and your family

Jackie Baker
Sorry for Herbs passing. The life you two had together was caring, enjoying each other & loving.
Thank you for sharing your lives with us.

Bill Smith
I am sorry to hear about Herb’s passing Rona…
He was one of the nicest people I have ever met and had a great laugh. Your relationship with
him was one for the ages…

From Rona: The FB announcement
Dear all: I wish there was time and energy to contact you individually, but there simply isn’t. This
update brings the news of Herb's passing yesterday afternoon, Thursday Nov 14th. I’m not
going to lie, this last week was truly difficult and the last three days were intense, but blessedly
his actual passing was peaceful and tender. We have been surrounded with, and supported by
dear friends, as well as Paul and Alycia. Everyone was so exhausted after dinner that I sent
them all home, luxuriating in the calm and peace of being in our safe place of home with Herb's
presence still keenly felt. My strongest emotion at this point is pure gratitude for the relationship
and love that we shared. How fortunate and blessed we were. We saw more of the world
together than I ever dreamed possible. Herb could totally crack me up from the beginning and
all the way up to Tuesday. The trait I most admired about my “Hon” was his personal integrity. If
you have a special memory or thought you'd like to share with our family, please email me,
would love to hear it. We will have a memorial at my church in Silverdale, date to be determined,
but not immediate. Cremation will be handled by Rill's Life Tribute Center in Pt. Orchard.
Eventually there will be a obituary posted there online and also a place for you to share a
memory if you would like to. Thank you for your role in our amazing life together!