Obituary of Herbert Lord

Herb Lord was a man who loved faith, family, and country music. He was born on July 15, 1937 in Fort Collins, Colorado, to parents Russell (John D.) Lord and Lois Leone Wakefield. His father worked for the Burlington Northern Railroad and his mother served many years in a cafeteria in Denver Public School as a beloved lunch lady. In 1939, his parents would give birth to Barbara Antoinette, his only sibling. During his early years, the family moved to Denver, where Herb would attend North High School. In 1950, he enrolled in the United States Navy, going through basic training at the U.S. Naval Training Center in Illinois. He would be stationed out of San Diego and spent much of his time in the military aboard an aircraft carrier, the U.S.S. Princeton. He was in the Helicopter Utility Squadron One and received the Navy Good Conduct Medal in the fall of 1959. He was honorably discharged in 1960 and returned home to Colorado to work at the Bowman Biscuit factory, before following in his father’s footsteps and making a career as a railroader at Burlington Northern. During his four decades with that company, he worked as a switchman, engineer, and conductor, primarily on the routes between Denver and McCook (Nebraska) and Sterling (Colorado).

On February 7, 1971, he met the love of his life, Judith “Beth” Lord, at a Valentine’s Day Dance. They had a whirlwind romance and after on a couple of dates, Herb proposed to Beth on March 28, 1971. On June 18, 1971, they married at the First Baptist Church of Littleton, Colorado, and several months later, on September 19, Herb would be baptized in the same church. Herb and Beth honeymooned in Bremerton, Washington. Early in their engagement and marriage, they had a tradition where Herb would buy a dozen carnations for Beth every Friday along with a card and every Saturday night, they would get ice cream at the local Baskin Robbins.

Much of Herb’s life was centered around an uncompromising work ethic. A strong union man, Herb would never cross a picket line and no one in his family was allowed to do so either. His commitment to worker’s rights showed in the Spring of 1971, when he bravely penned a letter to the editor in the company’s own newsletter, taking them to task for overrepresenting the average employee’s pay scale and chastising them for reducing worker hours in a way that he believed would render the company less efficient.

In November of 1972, Herb and Beth bought their first home together on South Elati Street in Littleton, Colorado. Eventually they would have three additions to their home and family with the birth of their children. Herb would frequently tell others about a vision he had early in his life of having and successfully raising a family. Much of he did was centered around the idea of how to bring that vision to life. Herb and Beth eventually moved to Centennial, Colorado where they raised their children and where Herb would eventually retire after a four-decade career with Burlington Northern.

Following the death of Beth in the fall of 2022, Herb moved to California for medical treatment and to be closer to his family. There he got to again see the ocean and tour an aircraft carrier where he had served many years earlier and renewed the habit of frequent trips to the local Baskin Robbins. Following a short stay in the hospital, Herb transitioned from this life on June 13, 2023. He will be buried at Fort Logan Cemetery, where his tombstone will bear the lyrics, “I believe in love,” taken from one of his favorite country songs. He is survived by his three children: Kym and spouse Lars Teppo (children- Kai and Avery Teppo); Doug and spouse Tulin (child – Melissa Lord); and David and spouse Greg Parks.