Herbert Loebl
Our father loved speeches. No event, however big or small, formal or informal, was complete without someone standing up and at the very least offering some words of thanks,
So I know he will be relying on us to deliver a proper job here this afternoon.
But with very little time to prepare, and so much to say about the man who has left us and whose body we have come here to lay to rest, the best we can do is try to capture the essence of Herbert Loebl, who in his long and full life touched and made a difference to many people’s lives.
It is hard to imagine that such a large and powerful character has gone. Even when he was very ill in hospital in December and again in recent weeks, Herbert made his mark and the marvellous staff in Ward 52 at the RVI, although perhaps missing his former energy and drive saw something of the charisma that many of us experienced when he was younger and stronger. One of the nurses commented on the business card Herbert had shown her and said she told him he had the whole alphabet after his name! Indeed, he gained many degrees, qualifications and awards including a BSc, MPhil, PhD, honorary doctorate, OBE and Queens Award for Export, and always loved the degree ceremonies. You could say this gathering is his final graduation (in this life, at any rate).
I think the most important thing to say is Herbert loved his family and was so proud not only to be a father and grandfather, but also a great grandfather. When Naomi and Robert and I were growing up we would literally groan and frankly switch off with boredom when he started on one of his long, and to him utterly fascinating explanations about how our 6th cousin twice removed fitted in to the family tree. But I think now we understand a bit more about his passion to connect to his past and collect a history and we are hugely privileged that we have this treasure of information that he gathered.
Herbert was born in 1923.He was a talented young boy who grew to manhood through the most turbulent period of the modern age that the Jewish people had ever endured. We do not know what his thoughts and ambitions were in his childhood and early teenage years. Whatever the ambitions he may have had
a significant and very personal contribution to job creation and the economically thriving North East.
were suppressed as he had to leave his native country, grandparents, friends and community, the whole world he had known. He came to a foreign land and for years he was an alien.
Maybe these feelings of alienation contributed to his strong desire to become successful and to make his mark in his adoptive country. He rebuilt friendships, feelings of community, created a family of his own and pursued education and success in all spheres. Perhaps it was his deep need to try to come to terms with what he had lost that drove him to create a record of all his activities, events and successes(his own and his family’s)in the 20 scrapbooks by which he wants to be remembered.
After the terrible trauma of being uprooted from his home town of Bamberg in Germany as a teenager, he settled and made a life in Newcastle upon Tyne, and for the rest of his life held a deep attachment to both cities. We would joke that Herbert was the self appointed Ambassador of the North East, and he could never understand why anyone would want to live in such a dreadful place like London. I have to say that having spent the last week here with him, I have had a wonderful opportunity to be reminded of the phenomenal spirit and essential warmth of the people of Newcastle, and much more sympathy with and understanding of Herbert’s reluctance to leave, even if this meant he was far away from his family.
Herbert was a doer. He was hardworking. He was ambitious for himself and for others. As an entrepreneur he built businesses of his own, starting with Joyce Loebl which he started with his University friend Bob Joyce, designing and manufacturing electronic and scientific instruments, going on to create a group of companies. For years the company name Joyce Loebl was a by-word for manufacturing excellence in the North East. As a pioneer of business support for British firms he helped create and nurture many businesses. He set up Enterprise North, Britain’s first voluntary support agency and brought his considerable expertise to his public work in industry, both in the UK and in the European Community in Brussels. In 2011 he founded the Herbert Loebl Export Academy with Newcastle University Business School. All in all he made a significant and very personal contribution to job creation and the economically thriving North East.
In his spare time, Herbert loved going to concerts, playing the violin in the string quartet which met regularly in his home and listening to classical music. He enjoyed cryptic crosswords. He loved good food and wine and beautiful countryside especially when it reminded him of his still trouble- free and innocent boyhood. We have very strong memories of going wild blueberry picking with him in the woods near our country house in Northumberland which was one of his favourite pursuits.
As we know, Herbert was not always an easy personality to deal with, but I think he was regarded as a very interesting man, a fair and good employer and an inspiring leader. His values were intensely Jewish-he gave charity and performed good deeds.
We would like to pay tribute to those who have looked after our father in recent years, when he became increasingly frail, Pat and Paula and especially Mona who has been a devoted friend and companion.
Sadly, Herbert was not able to fulfil his ambition to celebrate his 90th birthday on 18th April, but reaching his 90th year is a pretty fantastic achievement after a busy life.
We can only hope that his indomitable spirit will live on and he will rest in peace forever. May God bless you and keep you, May God’s face shine upon you and be gracious to you. May God’s face turn towards you and give you peace. Amen.