Herbert H. Lenk

Herbert Lenk passed away on July 15, 2021, in Sarasota, Florida, at the age of 102. He was born in Stuttgart, Germany, on July 6, 1919, to Richard and Martha Lenk. He would have become a publisher of children’s books, the family business started by his grandfather, Maximilian, in 1871, but the rise of Nazism in Germany changed these expectations. In 1936 his parents sent him to school in Lausanne, Switzerland, and then to London, England, where he lived through the German bombardments during WW2 and became an Electronics Engineer (Northern Polytechnic/U. Of London). After the war, he rejoined his family in New York. In 1952 he moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, and worked for 33 years in the design and production of communications equipment for Cincinnati Electronics Corp. and its predecessor, Avco Corp., before retiring as a Senior Engineer. Herbert was granted three U.S. patents in his chosen field. He was a Life Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.

Herbert met his soul mate and future wife, Ellen Schurgast, in Cincinnati, and they were married in 1957. Shortly after his retirement, they moved to Sarasota, where they joined and became active members of Temple Emanu-El. Herbert’s other interests included education. He joined P.A.L.S. and soon became a member of its Community Advisory Board. He felt honored to act for many years as a judge at the annual Science, Engineering, and Technology Fair. He was also active in his community, The Meadows Community Association, as a long-time member of its Finance and Budget Committee. Herbert enjoyed music (he played cello in his youth), travel, genealogy, walking, and swimming.

He left behind his greatest love, his wife Ellen, his son Ron of Albuquerque, NM, his daughter Anita Bardwell of Maui, HI, his sister, Olga Drucker, of Palm City, FL, and three grandchildren, Max Lenk, Leon Lenk, and Martha Lenk.