Herbert "Herb" King Cawthorne

Herb Cawthorne died peacefully Thursday, 12 Jan 2023 at the Hospice House in Columbus. He was 90 years old. He was raised in Appomattox, Virginia on a family farm by his parents Rufus King and Rose Baker Cawthorne. He outlived his 3 younger brothers David, Don and Kenny.

Herb joined the US Army after high school as an enlisted man. He attended the Jump School at Fort Benning and became a paratrooper. After OCS at Fort Benning, he became a Lieutenant. After the Army, in August 1953 Herb married Truman Phipps of Smiths Station, AL and had two sons, William King and James Daniel. He lived the rest of his life in the Chattahoochee Valley.

In the 1960s and early 1970s, Herb was the Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 128 in Smiths Station. He headed a thriving troop of Scouts with regular hiking and camping and completing merit badges. Many boys were inspired to achieve Eagle Scout rank through his leadership. In 1964, Herb led a regional troop to the World’s Fair in New York. The Boy Scouts of America awarded Herb the Silver Beaver for his contributions to his Scouts.

After winning the 1972 Associated Press Sports Photo of the Year for Alabama, Herb decided to go professional in photography. After many years as a stockbroker for Merrill Lynch, he quit his job. In January 1974, he opened Camera 1 Photography with his son Jim and partner Spencer Garrard. Photography ranged from Aerials to Zebras with an enormous amount of corporate and regular photos in between.

Herb spent much of his life as an adventurer and world traveler while bringing back amazing photos. Places include Greece, Portugal, Galapagos Islands, Machu Picchu, Russia (after 1989), India, Burma, Venezuela, Uruguay, Namibia, South Africa, Norway with Truman on their 25th wedding anniversary, Mexico and many others locales. In the USA, he visited all the Georgia Coastal Islands, most of our country’s National Parks and the Grand Canyon with Truman on their 50th wedding anniversary.

He was President of the East Columbus Rotary Club in 1980 and was a Georgia Rotary Student Program trustee. For years, Herb and Truman sponsored many foreign nationals attending Fort Benning schools and were recognized by both the US Army and several foreign governments.

Along with many photos for the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Herb was instrumental in relocating approved eagles from the American West to repopulate the Cumberland Plateau with the Golden Eagle Recovery Program. Herb was given the Leonard E. Foote award for conservation photography by Governor Zell Miller.

At the age of 62 Herb earned a private pilot’s airplane license. Other hobbies included water skiing, cross country skiing, tennis and racquetball, music and reading. He had a biting wit and was loved and admired by many.

He is survived by his wife Truman, son Will (wife Linda deceased), their 4 children Clint, Cliff, Clayton and wife Hillarie Deen Cawthorne, Claire Cawthorne Sheppard and husband Jeff Sheppard. Herb is also survived by son Jim and wife Irene McGregor Cawthorne with their daughter Erin Cawthorne Green and husband AJ Green. Great grandchildren include Matthew King Cawthorne, Carson Dale Cawthorne, Magnolia Reece Sheppard, Simeon Daniel Green and Agnes Kerry Green.

Funeral service is at First Presbyterian Church at 3:00PM, Sunday January 22, 2023.

To sign the online guest register, please visit www.shcolumbus.com.