The St. Thomas community lost big part of its personality Tuesday with the passing of one of the island’s most colorful and dedicated members, Herbert Ernest Lockhart III, 58, or "Herbie," as everyone knew him.
It was a sad day, as folks came to grips with the news that they would no longer see Lockhart in his short pants, suspenders, knee socks and baseball cap, chatting with his pals, helping people out with a favor here, a boost there, having a good laugh, talking about his passion for the Boston Red Sox, for community, for the Friends of Denmark where he was a longtime member, and politics – where he even ran for the Senate in 2000, making a respectable showing as an Independent.
Lockhart got around. From his multitude of friends comes a picture of a caring, funny, sometimes outspoken, compassionate man. And a big man, a man as big as his heart, folks say.
Most people were stunned at the news. Though Lockhart had been very ill in Washington, D.C. for nine months, most everyone says they still expected him to pull through and come home. Through his family, mainly his sister Catherine Mills Lockhart, and brothers, Ronnie and Henrik, people kept up to date on his condition.
This Saturday, in fact, he is being honored as Law Enforcement Planning Commission (LEPC ) Business Person of the Year at the V.I. Night Out Against Crime ceremony in Frenchtown.
"When I heard, I couldn’t believe it," said Flemon Lewis, chairman of the event. "Herbie always provided us with tents, tables, chairs. When we heard he was ill, we wanted to honor him. He was so friendly and supportive of the community. His family has said they will accept the award on his behalf."
Colette Monroe said, "I’ve already missed Herbie for about a whole year. He was just a fascinating, intelligent, human being – no conversation was beyond his grasp. I got to know him when I had Bayside Canvas and I’d repair his tents. It’s a big pair of shoes to fill; he was a big guy, all heart."
Lockhart’s old pal, Albert Lindo of Bobby’s Towing, paused before choosing his words.
"If I have 10 friends, 10 good men, Herbie was one. Nothing was too good for him. It’s a big blow for us, man. For 15, 20 years, we been tight. If he could give you his heart, he’d give it to you. He was always giving, giving. I wish he’d been given extra time.
"I worked with Herbie on the Boy Scouts," Lindo said. "Moving tents, tables. He was one of those guys, he helped. He don’t know you, and he’d help. He was more than just a friend; he was an icon to the community."
Lockhart’s work with the Boy Scouts keeps coming up in any conversation about the man. He was a Scout as a child and a board member for years. He worked closely with his mother, Corinne Lockhart, who pioneered the Girl Scouts in the territory, helping her with their summer camp.
According to family members, Lockhart took the helm of the company business, Lockhart Management, after returning from college, but, ultimately, resigned to start his own businesses – Big Tow, and later Herbie’s Big Top, where he expanded his tent business to include accessories.
His friend and neighbor Ibrahim Asfour, of Asfour Department Store, said, "For more than 20 years, every day he came here. He would sit by the counter and we’d talk – sometimes politics, marriage, about life. Sometimes, we’d talk about families, he’d talk about his mother. He was very close to his mother."
Then Asfour talked pants, short pants. "He’d pull up a chair and sit with me in his short pants, and suspenders. He’d buy a suit and he used to cut the pants and make them short. I’d say ‘you can’t do that with short pants.’ "
Asfour paused a bit. "I always asked about him."
And then there is Rotary.
Lockhart was the quintessential Rotarian, according to Marston Winkles, current president of Rotary Club of St. Thomas, where Lockhart, a past president and Paul Harris fellow, served for 31 years.
"It’s a very sad day," Winkles said. "He was a very valued contributor to the work we’ve done over the years. We will miss his spirit, his sense of humor and his friendship."
Fellow Rotarian Mary Gleason said, "Herbie was a wonderful Rotarian and a dear friend. I was delighted to have been part of the raffle pool we formed – it was fun and lucky. Herbie was such a generous person in so many ways, and he was so funny, great sense of humor."
"Herbie is someone I’ve known for over 30 years," said banker James Crites. "He was a key contributor to lots of parts of the community people didn’t know about, the Boy Scouts. He really made a difference in the community.
"Herbie was also a key Rotarian. For years, he kept me involved," Crites said. "We would travel together, and when I moved to the states for a few years, he’d always come to visit. He was a family member. This is a real shock. Two months ago he rallied, and we thought he’d gotten through some of the worst of it."
Catherine Mills Lockhart said, "Throughout his illness, Herbie maintained a firm belief that it was only a matter of time until he would return to his St. Thomas; he held true to this up to his untimely death."
The family will announce funeral arrangements later this week.
