Herbert Sachs

1935 - 2017

Our beloved husband and father Herb died unexpectedly on April 12, 2017 at the age of 82. A 52-year resident of Annapolis, Herb was a proud son of Baltimore, the grandchild of Jewish immigrants, and a 1951 graduate of Forrest Park High School. He earned his B.A. from the University of Maryland in 1955 and his M.S. from the University of Michigan in 1962. Herb spent his youthful summers as a camper and counselor at Camp Airy, where he acquired a lifelong love of water, wilderness, and campfire cuisine. He honed his fondness for roughing it while stationed with the US Army in Alaska. His passion for nature led to an extraordinary half-century career working for the state of Maryland to protect its waterways, wetlands, and wildlife. Herb wrote the groundbreaking legislation that established the state's Department of Water Resources, Department of Chesapeake Affairs, and the Maryland Geologic Survey, and later helped to create the Department of Natural Resources. At DWR, DNR, the Interstate Commission on the Potomac River Basin, and the MD Department of the Environment, Herb devoted his life to enacting pioneering public policies and programs that defend and restore the beautiful Chesapeake Bay he so mightily loved. Herb lived every day with a staunch sense of justice and deep compassion for the marginalized and suffering. He relished reading and discussing history and politics and never went a day without the newspaper, no matter how bad the news. Herb believed unconditionally in civic duty, diplomacy, underdogs, and the right winter clothes. He lovingly cooked thousands of breakfasts and packed thousands of lunches and let no occasion go unequipped with bagels and lox, corned beef and half-sour pickles, or coffee and rye whiskey. He adored his home, his porch, his yard, his neighborhood, and Navy football. He was an infinitely generous, giant-hearted father and husband who fiercely treasured his wife, Ann, and his children Abraham, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Emily; their partners Lani, Jonathan, Andy, and Jill; and his darling grandchildren Mia, Marisa, and Dylan. He was preceded in death by his brother Nathan and is survived by his brother Robert. He will forever be our greatest comfort, inspiration, and shining, guiding star. The family will receive friends at the John M. Taylor Funeral Home Inc. 147 Duke of Gloucester Street Annapolis, Maryland 21401 on Monday April 17 from 6 to 8 pm. A memorial service will be held in the Funeral Home Chapel on Tuesday, April 18, at 1:30 pm. Donations may be made in Herb's honor to the Maryland Envirothon (c/o Maryland Association of Soil Conservation Districts, 209 Jarman Branch Drive, Centreville, MD, 21617) or the Chesapeake Bay Foundation. An online guest book is available at www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com. Online condolences may be made at www.johnmtaylorfuneralhome.com.