Herbert Frederick Milch's Obituary
Herbert Frederick Milch, 91, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2018 in Gainesville, FL. A devoted husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather, Herb endeared himself to all he met. Born June 23, 1927 in Brooklyn, NY, he moved with his parents to a then largely-undiscovered Fort Lauderdale, FL in 1934. He graduated as the Salutatorian from Fort Lauderdale High School in 1945 and then served as a communications officer in the U.S. Army, stationed in a post-World War II Germany. After his time in the military, Herb went to the University of Texas, Austin, graduating as a member of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society with a major in Spanish. He joined his father in the produce business, working out of the Pompano State Farmers Market for a number of years before joining Topco Associates, Inc., a provider of aggregation, innovation and knowledge management solutions for the food industry. There, he began a long and very respected career as both a buyer and seller, later working for companies such as A. Duda & Sons, Shurfine and Costco. Herb was well-known in the industry throughout the country for his vast knowledge, ability to connect with people and love for what he did. He enjoyed his work so much, he delayed retirement until he was well into his 70’s and maintained contact with past colleagues until his passing.
Herb loved history, reading and watching a variety of sports, and was known for his incredible memory and way with telling a story or joke. His greatest passion was his family, and he loved nothing more than gathering with them to hear about their lives and families. He and his loving wife Pearl raised their children in Fort Lauderdale, then moved to Boca Raton, FL in 1979, remaining there until Pearl’s passing in 2015. They enjoyed traveling and were able to explore the United States, Europe and a number of other countries during their union of 62 years.
Herb is survived by his son Eric Milch and daughter-in-law Stephanie, of Gainesville, FL; his daughter Lisa Milch Goddard and son-in-law Andy, of Alpharetta, GA; his granddaughter Kelly Goddard Henderson and her husband John, of Roswell, GA; his granddaughter Jamie Goddard Rodgers (Chris), of Atlanta, GA; his grandsons Christopher, Evan and Elijah Milch, of Gainesville, FL and his great-grandchildren Pace and Shelby Henderson, of Roswell, GA.
A private service for the family will occur at a later date. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to your favorite charity.
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