Tributes
to Dr. Herman L. Hoeh

(this page
is from www.kubik.org)

February 3, 2005

Aliese
Roemer -- granddaughter of Dr. Hoeh

Everyone
knew Opa as Dr. Hoeh but to me, he always was and always will be my Opa. I
didn’t think of him as superman per say yet I always held him with great
regard and care.

Aliese Roemer

Opa,
which means grandpa in German, was always an intelligent and caring person. He
was always concerned with we grandkids’ well being. Since I was home
schooled, Opa would always ask if I had all the text books I needed. He wanted
to know what I was learning and was always eager to help. The one thing he was
the best at helping with was correcting my English papers. They would always be
returned well-read and well-marked   with red correction pencil. I
attribute my knack for spelling and grammar to Opa.

One
conversation that I think my parents and I will always remember happened back
in 1991. We were at my uncle’s house during the Feast and Opa called to
see how we were doing. My dad replied that “we’re just hanging
around”. Opa corrected him by saying “Hanging around like a group
of monkeys? No, you should say ‘We’re relaxing’.” To
this day, I still ask myself if I’m using the correct grammar in how I
speak and write.

Opa’s
vast knowledge of other cultures and people helped me learn to enjoy different
cultures and foods. I remember fondly the Thai restaurants we would frequent
when my family and I visited him and Oma (which means grandma). It’s
always been one of my favorite foods.

He
taught me etiquette and that you should tip people no matter if they’re
serving you food or not. The most vivid memory I have is when we were shopping
at a music box shop. It took me a while to finally settle on which music box I
wanted. When we were through purchasing, Opa told me to tip the lady for her
services. His generosity and kindness towards others has encouraged me extend
those traits to others as well.

My
favorite time will always be just being with Opa and Oma. Whether it was going
to museums, bookstores or just the health food store, I always enjoyed their
company.

From
my memories of Opa, I’d say he lived his life for the good of others. He
was always there to lend a helping hand and take care of those in need.

I
want to thank everyone for their prayers for our family, especially for Oma.
I’ve enjoyed reading the tributes everyone has written. Thank you,
especially to Mr. Kubik for posting the photos and tributes which have been a
joy to read.

Last
but not least, thank you to Oma for being selfless and sharing Opa with
everyone they met. Her love and support were a big influence on how Opa took
care of others.

Proud
granddaughter of Dr. Hoeh,

Aliese
Roemer

January 13, 2005

From Susan Hermmann

Some of the readers of this page of tributes to Dr. Hoeh will be looking for
words from my father Kenneth Herrmann. Many members knew them to be friends,
fellow students, and colleagues of the early days of Ambassador College
and the Work, as well associating them because of their similar interests in
ancient history (my Dad's interests and GN & PT articles leaning toward
geology and astronomy and how they related to discerning the truth about
ancient times).

Unfortunately, since Dad's two heart attacks last year, his long term memory
has become more impaired as has his ability to write and express himself. I
have been trying to raise some memories of Dr. Hoeh from him, but so far all he
has been able to say is that "losing him is a real blow".

My own memories of Dr. Hoeh are few, aside from his many interesting (
sometimes even to a child) sermons that he gave in Pasadena. One pleasant childhood memory
stands out vividly, though. When I was about four, I was spending a day with my
Dad at his office and Dr. Hoeh showed up. My memory of him, is of someone who
truly liked kids. I don't think I was used to such friendliness from adults. I
quickly dove behind a chair, much to Dad's and Dr. Hoeh's amusement . How sad
it is to lose such an important figure in my childhood memories.

Susan Herrmann

January 8, 2005

From Frederick Peace, PhD

I matriculated to Ambassador in the summer of 1966, after having studied at
home with WWCG for five years. I had completed graduate school and was working
as professor of Marketing at Iowa
Sate University
so I was not intimidated by the academics. But one of the fabled people I was
looking forward to studying under was Dr Hoeh.

His brilliance was noted in his writings, but what would he be like personally?

For years I jealously watched him sit in the front row of Bible Study reading.
I was usually bored out of my mind so focusing on how he handled the sessions
was of interest.

He seemed oblivious to what was coming from the stage, except frequently Mr.
Armstrong would say. "Isn't that right Dr. Hoeh" or "What was
the date on that", etc.

He would just look up and answer the question as if he had heard every previous
word..

I think they call that multi-tasking.

In class his insights were what I longed for -- the material presented was
never an intellectual challenge. I recall a discussion on archeology in which
Dr. Hoeh presented pictures of two combs. They were of African design and
labeled as over ten thousand years different in age -- it was obvious that the
latter comb was of much higher quality in both design and workmanship.

Dr Hoeh's observation is that it only proved one comb carver was a rather
clumsy and careless individual. To him that was all it proved -- the carvers
could have been neighbors.

That critical thinking was the gift he shared. I marveled at how the capacity
left him when he researched history as taught by Mr. Armstrong.

This enigma was one of the more difficult I faced as I moved from student to
staff.

I also knew him by observation as a father. I wanted to be a good one to my two
boys and he was a model. My first year of "humbling" required that
the Professor work as a gardener. That took me to the Hoeh backyard and time
spent with the Hoeh children -- they were so alive and unafraid, yet fooled
into thinking of goat cheese as a treat. One can't believe what one can learn
about parenting as a babysitter.

Frederick Peace, PhD

December 28, 2004

From Robert Macdonald

Our Family’s
Remembrances of Herman L. Hoeh

Herman Hoeh life touched many others and like most, our family has many
positive memories of him.  One of my early memories was of watching him
traversing the grounds at the Feast of Tabernacles in Big Sandy during the late
50’s.  On the way between the “new tabernacle” where
services were held and the “old tabernacle” dining hall he picked
up trash and deposited it into a proper receptacle.  That pretty well
represented the way he was and remained throughout life.  Though an evangelist,
he was a humble man, not above the common people, and always lent a hand in
what needed to be done.  Always polite and charming, he would greet people
with a cheery “My name is Herman Hoeh, how are you?”  He never
failed to ask how my wife, Peggy was.  I never heard an unkind word come
from his mouth about anyone.

As a student at the Pasadena campus of Ambassador College between 1958 and 1961.  I
had the opportunity of attending his classes in Bible and World History.
Although occasionally difficult to comprehend, nevertheless new vistas of
knowledge were opened to his students.  He enriched our awareness and
appreciation the past as well as current events.  He frequently invited
interested students to his house for forums and informal discussions.  He
and Isabel were gracious hosts and always made us feel at home.  He freely
answered all questions, as cryptic as those answers may have been.  I will
always remember the names of ancient historians such as Xenophon and
Manetho.  I recall a final project for his World History students of 1961
was to produce a chart of the Egyptian Pharos according to his reconstruction
of history, a seemingly daunting task!  But then he added, “The only
thing I ask is that they not all be identical, so that if I hold any two up to the
light they will not coincide!”

His “reconstruction of history” was published in 1962 as a two
volume “Compendium of World History” which was his doctoral
dissertation at Ambassador
College.  Later,
perhaps in the late 70’s he came to see that much of his
“reconstruction” was wrong, and he publicly so stated.  It
says a lot about Herman Hoeh that he had the intellectual honesty to repudiate
a large portion of his life work including his PhD dissertation.

His sermons, though occasionally difficult to understand were always
interesting.  No one ever dosed off while he was speaking!

Growing up on a chicken farm near Santa Rosa, California in a German-American
family undoubtedly contributed to shaping Herman Hoeh as man who never lost his
connection to common folks,  who preferred to live close to the earth and
who epitomized the work ethic. Another early influence was also present.
On more than one occasion his students heard him explain that he was
brought up on “the milk of the Socialist word”.  Students
understood this to mean “National Socialism” (Naziism).
Perhaps in reaction against that early teaching he always leaned over backward
to show his opposition to Naziism.   This may have contributed to the
RCG/WGC’s proclivity during the 50’s and 60’s to look for a
fascist under every bed!  The Church’s perspective on biblical
prophecy had a lot to do with this as well.

The 50’s and 60’s seemed to spawn a mindset of a separation between
“us and the world” in RCG/WGC circles.  That mentality was
conspicuously absent in Herman Hoeh.  He consistently made contact with
many individuals of varied backgrounds and different perspectives, building
bridges across professional, denominational, religious, national and ethnic
lines.  One was Rabbi Zvi Ankori who did his doctoral dissertation on the
interpenetration of Judaism and one of the pagan philosophies encountered
anciently by the Jews.  He invited Dr. Ankori into his home for an
informal discussion with his students.  I felt it to be an honor to be one
of those invited.  Dr. Ankori went on to become a well known author on
Jewish issues.    Another was Jean Pierre Hallet, the Belgian
anthropologist and humanitarian who publicized the plight of the Pygmies in the
Congo.
He was author of Pygmy Kitabu.  I saw him on several
occasions at fundraisers to help the Pygmies.  He always voiced his
appreciation for Herman Hoeh’s help with printing a brochure on the
Pygmies and fundraising assistance for the Pygmy Project.  Another contact
was with a Swedish-born biochemist and visionary, Dr. Eric Eweson.  A
pioneer in composting and waste management from the 1940’s, Dr.
Eweson’s expertise led to the construction and installation of the “Eweson
Digester” on the Big Sandy campus which turned garbage and other waste
into fertilizer.  His talk before an Ambassador student assembly opened my
eyes to the potentialities of composting and the desirability of organic
farming.   Another well respected personality, a dentist named Dr.
Royal Lee imparted much useful information at a student assembly on health and
nutrition.  His company, Standard Process Laboratories is a producer of
high quality nutritional supplements.   Many more contacts could be
cited from various fields including historians, archaeologists and
writers.  Many people have benefited from the associates of Herman Hoeh.

Herman Hoeh often spoke of his friendship with John Weidner, a Seventh Day Adventist,
who owned two health food stores in Pasadena.
He affectionately called him “his best friend in the world”.
Mr. Weidner, a Belgian, shared some of his World War II experiences at an
Ambassador student assembly.  He was one of the many who rescued Jews
during the Nazi occupation of France.
Wanting the best foods for his family, he would frequently shop at
Weidner’s Health Foods.   One time my wife, Peggy was there
while he was shopping.  After paying, he told the sales lady to
“Keep the change!”, throwing the whole sales staff into
turmoil!  They did not know how to handle that!  Everyone agreed that
Herman Hoeh was a very generous man!

During the late 60’s the Hoeh’s moved from their South Orange Grove
house in Pasadena  to La Canada.  A
few years later they purchased two houses in Sunland, California.
One house for them and one for his library!   He wanted as much
as possible to return to his roots where he could have a garden and keep
goats.  After moving to Sunland my wife and I gave them an old
refrigerator in which to keep their garden produce and goat milk.  After
delivering it in our pick-up truck he stated, “You have treated us well,
and now I have a treat for you!”   He treated both of us to a refreshing
glass of cold goat milk!

I spoke by phone with Herman Hoeh about a month before he died.   His
mind was as sharp as ever.  We chatted about many things.  At first I
hesitated to mention my years of research into the meaning to the Christian of
the feast days.  Personal theological research by a lay person was once
frowned upon.  I did mention that I had felt for many years that there was
much more meaning there than WGC had uncovered.  He reacted
favorably.   I then said that my research was aided by several books
on the feast days including one that predated HWA’s booklet.
He asked who wrote it and I told him the author was Louis Talbot.  He
replied that he used to listen to him on the radio during the 1940’s, and
wanted to know if he and any good insights as to their meaning.  I
answered that he did.  Anyway this shows that he was open-minded toward
new ideas.

My wife and I feel privileged to have known Herman L. Hoeh.
He was a genuinely caring, remarkable and multi-faceted individual.
Our lives were enriched by his, and he will be missed.

Robert Macdonald

Missouri

December 27, 2004

From John Hopkinson (given at the public memorial on November 27th)

Mrs.
Hoeh, and family, Pastor Holm, distinguished guests, friends, brethren.

Mrs.
Hoeh, I am deeply sensitive of the great honour of addressing such an audience,
in such a location, upon so momentous an occasion.  Even now, he reaches
from beyond the veil to afford to me one more gift.

With
the passing of Herman Hoeh, who, more than anyone except Mr. Armstrong,
influenced the Church of God of our times, the last great teacher, an Era
closes.

On
graduation in 1967, he invited me to work for him. It was my privilege to serve
him with respect, amazement, and growing awe, as he opened a whole new world to
me, Managing sixty college departments, editing the PT, working with the press,
dealing with Professors of Archaeology at UCLA, the Bronze Boy at the Getty,
bringing Israeli Generals as guest speakers, Jean-Pierre Hallet, the one-handed
Belgian who championed the Efe Pygmy, in the Ituri forest, Edward Teller, the
father of the H-bomb, Leopold, King of the Belgians, and his display and
priceless photographs, getting Crimond for the new blue hymnal for HWA himself,
at his request, lunching with a rabbi’s son, and having him suddenly
recognize we were eating kosher, when he had ordered lobster, rare book
dealers, Blackwell’s of Oxford, Zeitlin, Vanya Volkoff and Adelheid von
Hohenlohe, Dead Sea  Scrolls at Huntington Library actually touching and
translating books 400 years old when I was born, and many exciting and
wonderful things.

His
teaching and writing are distributed around the whole world. The impact is
unknowable.

To
me, he was unfailingly courteous and kind.  He modelled humility and generosity
to all around him, which I saw at first hand in the most sensitive
manner.  Even from beyond the veil, he reached back and presented to a
last gift – to speak in his honour.

In
his poem, “Let us now praise Famous Men,” Rudyard Kipling couches
tribute and honour in words more condign than my own.  I commend it to
readers of these tributes.

A
College dedicated to preparing young men to be sent out administering,
surveying, encompassing history’s only global Empire.  The
instruments; chain, staff, theodolite, an intimate knowledge of triangles.
‘Servant of the Staff and Chain’ refer to the Survey of India, from
1816 to 1843 by George Everest. He could not know when he commenced at Mean Sea
Level at Cape Comorin, that, walking over the whole sub-continent, in surveying
each mountain, that, 2500 miles to the north, he would identify the highest
peak in the world at 29,029ft .

Sir
George stood before kings, bearing gifts of knowledge, to the precise square
yard, of each kingdom to its ruler.  Today we measure position and
altitude with lasers, GPS satellites and computers. Difference then and now:
Only 6 ft.

Herman
Hoeh, likewise, could not know the heights to which he would ascend would
be.  Fittingly, he also visited the palace in Nepal, in the high Himalaya,
as an Ambassador.

Kipling’s
words are a touchstone for the Church of God in our own time, touching every
nation in our days; a fitting epitaph for Herman Ludwig Hoeh, who stood before
kings, bearing gifts of knowledge beyond price.

Bless and praise we famous men

Men of little showing

For their work continueth,

And their work continueth,

Broad and deep continueth,

Great beyond their knowing!

continued....

From Roger Lippross

Greetings Vic, and friends that may read this, my belated tribute to Dr. Herman
Hoeh. While away on an extended family visit I heard about the loss of a great
leader and man of God. Having now returned home, if I may I would very much
like to add a few thoughts of my own to the many fine tributes that I have
read.

My first contact with Dr. Hoeh was in 1968 when Vic Kubik and I worked together
in England duplicating and transferring the wonderful photographs taken in
Africa and what was then the Belgian Congo, by the late King Leopold of
Belgium. It was through Mr. Armstrong's friendship with the King, that Dr. Hoeh
became aware of this treasure trove of African culture. As was typical of him
and his love of diversity, he had to have copies of as many photographs as he
could, for use in The Plain Truth at some time in the future, hence my work
with Vic.

When I was transferred to Pasadena in 1973 to work with Dr. Hoeh on the five
(later seven) language editions of the The Plain Truth I found him a delight to
work with. He was one of the very few who really understood what our
International areas needed editorially, and that was so valuable. I had the
great pleasure of working with him over the next 30 plus years on various
international projects and found him to be the leader that he was..

Yes, a great leader, even in his death he brings us lesser mortals together to
a forum such as this to learn by his example how a Christian should be. What a
gift he had. Reading the tributes, it seems we all felt that we had a personal
relationship with him, and the truth is we did. I personally witnessed that
this was not lost on the poor villagers in a third world country or the Oxford
educated company chairman at an exclusive garden party at a mansion in England.
He treated both with the same respect and genuine interest. he cared and they
knew it. He came across to them with warmth and compassion. I also have quite a
few Dr. Hoeh stories having been with him during some very difficult times and
some very unusual overseas situations. His kindness and generosity is of
legend. He and his wife together were always examples to us all in the way they
worked and supported each other.

Dr. Hoeh helped shape church culture, and through his influence in the early
days gave us a world view that is still almost unique amongst other churches, a
legacy that continues on. He will be greatly missed by this pilgrim...but how
marvelous and wonderful that God has set things up so we can enjoy his company
again. A man for all seasons...a man of God...till we meet again.

With deep and abiding respect..

Roger Lippross

December 17, 2004

From Randy Martens

I would like to thank Victor Kubik for sharing the recent pictures of Dr.
Hoeh, his family and friends – as well as this website for kindly posting
them, thereby making them available to many around the world. In the light of
Herman Hoeh’s recent death, no doubt many of his admirers all over the
globe have been exchanging between themselves the numerous “Dr. Hoeh
stories” that have accumulated through the decades – the true,
interesting and often humorous accounts that provided many insights into this
unusual, multi-faceted man.

The immature “us versus the world” mentality so commonly observed
and encouraged in the COG culture was refreshingly absent in Dr. Hoeh’s
life. Instead, he built bridges of understanding between himself and people of
differing perspectives, rather than self-righteously erecting walls of
separation in the name of "God's Truth." Dr. Hoeh was not perfect,
nor did he ever claim to be so. Most certainly not all his historical
scholarship has withstood the test of time. He was an enigma to many,
frequently throwing them a “curve ball” just when they thought they
had him all figured out. I think he reveled in his idiosyncratic ways. For
instance, when was the last time you saw a COG pastor or evangelist standing on
a street corner waiting to catch the next bus? Or, with suit sleeves pushed up,
pick through a grocery store dumpster to find produce with which to feed the
goats that he raised at home? Or driving an old, beat-up 1957 Dodge Phoenix? Or
even cleaning a toilet? Yet I believe Dr. Hoeh’s legendary spirit of
service toward his fellow man was much the result of his being able to identify
with and relate to the toils of the common folk, rather than looking down on
them in disdain from the ministerial pedestal.

In April of this year I traveled to southern California to attend a conference.
While there I was able to enjoy what in retrospect was to be one final yet
delightful breakfast together with Dr. and Mrs. Hoeh. (And, of course, he
insisted on paying the bill!) I am so thankful to have been able to have taken
that trip. Being a common man living a common life, I don’t often have
the opportunity to witness greatness up close and personal. But I don’t
think it’s an exaggeration to say that our friend and fellow traveler Dr.
Herman Hoeh was truly a great man. I know my life has been greatly enriched on
many different levels for having had the chance to interact with and come to
understand this remarkable human being in the 29 years I knew him. We shall
miss his wise insights, his genuinely caring attitude, his humor, and above
all, his exceptional example of how to live a simple yet successful life.

December 14,  2004

From Ronald Guizado

Los Angeles

I learned many things from Dr. Hoeh through my 30 years of association with
him. As I began to know him on a more personal basis I realized that he was a
man who practiced what he preached. I also learned that he was not infallable
but was always inquiring and searching in order to be open and sensitive to the
lead of Jesus Christ in revealing more to His Church.

Once I asked Dr. Hoeh: "How can I best serve in the Church?" His
simple reply: "Quality of thought."

As the years progressed I began to grasp the depth of importance that that
simple three word response contained. As I spent time with him I noticed he
would frequently lead me in the process of how to analyze God's Word (or any
subject we discussed) and in how to achieve carefully well thought out
conclusions. By example he provided me with the skills so I "could
fish" on my own. He knew that he might die before Jesus Christ would
return. He knew that one of the finest gifts he could give me was to know how to
have "Quality of thought".

I'll be eternally thankful for that education he provided me.

December 9,  2004

Helen Rose McDowell

Houston, Texas

As I heard the account of Dr. Hoeh’s death it so paralleled my
husband’s (Bill McDowell) almost three years ago—sudden, unexpected
and at home. Actively living life to the last moment is a blessing and one for
which I’m thankful but for the surviving spouse the shock of sudden death
adds another dimension of sorrow to sort through. Memories of all the good
times and many blessings help us with that sorting and healing. It has for our
family as I know it will for Mrs. Hoeh and her family.

I had the opportunity to know Dr. and Mrs. Hoeh in both the college setting and
spend time in their home. The personal time was always a learning experience
without feeling I was being “taught.” In remembering some of those
times now I smile through the tears

As a freshman student (1958) I was on the student “piano list”
traveling to outlying churches for weekly Sabbath services. And I often went
with Dr. and Mrs. Hoeh and their young family. Bill was on the
“sermonette list.” When Bill and I became engaged, somehow we both
were scheduled together when we went with The Hoehs. As was the custom, I
packed our big picnic lunches in the Mayfair Kitchen and Mrs. Hoeh brought the
goat milk—I still drink goat milk!

While I don’t remember much detail from Dr. Hoeh’s World History
class I do remember the most important thing he wanted us to learn—and to
be sure that we learned it well he gave our final exam on this one point.
That’s probably why I remember it! He placed a stack of books on the
classroom desk. Then he gave us a sheet of paper with instructions to match
each book with one of the twenty subjects on the paper—that was the final
exam! And so Dr. Hoeh taught us a fundamental principle of doing any
research—know where to look.

Both Dr. and Mrs. Hoeh were kind and patient with me, gentle and
caring—making for good memories from a time that both seems long ago and
just yesterday. May all the good memories provide comfort and support for Mrs.
Hoeh and her family.

Helen Rose McDowell

From Raymond McNair

I hope this finds you and yours well and prospering--and I
hope my comments re Dr. and Mrs. Hoeh may be of some value.

I first met Dr. Hoeh in November, 1948. He was one of the four students that
enrolled in A.C. in 1947, during its first year of existence. (The other three
students were Dick Armstrong, Raymond Cole, and Miss Betty Bates). My
first contact with Dr. Hoeh was in the autumn of l948 (the second year of
A.C.) when my brother Marion and I entered A.C. Besides my brother and myself,
Kenneth Herrman also enrolled in A.C. in that same year.This meant that seven
students were enrolled in A.C. during its second year--quite an increase in
enrollment!!!

From the beginning, it was clear to me (and I think this was
also true of the other six student in A.C.) that Herman Hoeh was quite a
scholar. In ensueing years, Herman (this was before he became a
"Doctor") became known as "the brain," for he was not only
scholarly, he had a special interest in, and a zeal for, research--in the area
of History, in particular. He was never really interested that much in
sports.That just wasn't his "cup of tea."

Later, Dr. Hoeh's interest in history showed itself in his
work (THE COMPENDIUM, in two volumes), which gave many details of the origins
and movements of various peoples from the time of the Tower of Babel, until
modern times. Through past decades, many students and members of the Church of
God have found his research into history (esp. re the origins of various
peoples) to be of interest and value. In recent years he made it known that he
no longer endorsed all of the conclusions, especially his historical dates,
which he had incorporated in his COMPENDIUM. Nevertheless, I am sure that many
of the brethren and ministers still find certain areas of his historical
research helpful in understanding the racial origins of certain nations, and,
consequently, we can better understand certain end-time prophecies dealing with
various descendants of SHEM, HAM, and JAPHETH.

I found Dr. Hoeh to be friendly, courteous and, at
times, rather witty. He became known for his generosity in assisting some
of the needy students or Church brethren, often offering assistance
anonymously. He spent much time and energy in the 50's, 60's, 70's, etc.
helping to edit the Plain Truth, Good News, WCG booklets, etc. I
always looked upon him as valuable to the Work as an editor, and this was
especially so in the areas of his particular expertise: history, archaelology,
paleontology, etc.

Although I often spoke to Dr. Hoeh through the years, in
more recent years (after I left the WCG in 1993), I did not have much contact
with him. He would write or phone me from time to time, and I did the same. But
during the last few years, I had very little contact with him. So far as I
know, he continued to work with the men at Headquarters during these times,
apparently feeling that, for personal reasons, he did not need to sever his
relationship with the leaders of the WCG, because o f the sweeping doctrinal
changes which the Church leaders were making at Pasadena. He seemed to want to
maintain cordial relations with people in the various Churches of God
(including many of the Church leaders), and would discuss various matters with
some of them from time to time.  [ He also had close ties with
some of the leaders of the Buddhist faith. ]

I also knew Mrs. Isabel Hoeh (Dr. Hoeh's wife for about 50
years) since her arrival a A.C. in, I believe, the third year of the College's
existence. Isabel was a fine student, and also proved herself to be a loyal,
steady, supportive wife during their many years of married life. I am sure that
all who met Mrs. Hoeh will remember her in their prayers in the years
ahead--asking God to bless and guide her through the difficult times which she
will experience, without her husband by her side.

Sincerely,

Raymond F. McNair

December 6, 2004

Henrik Blunck

Denmark

It is certainly a great loss to hear of the passing of one of the pioneers of
the truth. His tremendous insight and fantastic bible studies and articles will
ALWAYS be a cherished memorial to his fantastic work as the human instrument
under Christ.

How he ever kept quiet under the doctrinal changes, I will never understand,
but there is no doubt we will see him in the first resurrection. He was a
pioneer of good, Christian character, and he is certainly missed.

My prayers do go to his family in this time of testing, and I hope we can all
go back to our files and see the legacy he left in writing. People are passing
away so quickly now, and being only 31 it IS a good time to focus on
continually overcoming and following in the good path left by these examples as
they walked as Christ did.

Such a fine example indeed.

From Judd and Terri Kirk

My first knowledge of Dr. Hoeh was probably in about 1956 when my mother and
I began to attend services. Regrettably, my impression of him back then was
limited to the observation that what he said was hard to understand.

As the years passed, I came to know him as a very humble, kind man. He seemed
to have a soft spot in his heart for my mother because of her many years of
service to the church; he never failed to ask about her.

By way of tribute to him, his uniqueness and kindness, I'll describe an unusual
event that took place in the late 70's. Terri and I were staying with some
church friends in Santa Cruz when Dr. and Mrs. Hoeh dropped by. While nobody
was expecting their visit, we all knew each other and we settled into
comfortable chatting. A little later on, Dr. Hoeh abruptly changed the subject
by looking at me and asking if I'd read Galatians lately. I had to admit that
my recent studies had not included Galatians. He nodded his head and made no
reply. Some minutes later, we all noticed that Dr. Hoeh wasn't there. Mrs. Hoeh
didn't know where he'd gone, but neither did she seem concerned. An hour or so
later he returned, walked over to me, and presented me with a book. Of course,
I was very surprised and a little at a loss for words. He had bought me a used
New Testament of some unfamiliar translation. Of course, I thanked him
profusely. He said, "You should read Galatians.". I said I would as
soon as I got home and laid the Bible down. Then he said, "No, read it
now, and do so in less than 3 minutes." He continued, "Sometimes that
which is unclear when read deliberately becomes clearer when read
quickly". Well, I did and he was right; I've never forgotten that lesson.

Dr. Hoeh was a gift to all of us, and he will be missed.

December 5, 2004

Craig White

Australia

Dr Hoeh's unexpected death was a great loss to both his
family and to the Church of God.

We know that he was faithful to the end and supportive of
the Truth throughout his life. For me, he was special and I greatly appreciated
his spiritual approach, capacity and research.

I was impressed by his humility: many are not aware today
that a number of truths came via him to HWA - truths which became
part of the Church's belief system. Yet at no time did he exhibit ambition
- I found this quality so admirable. His insights and bringing
together information which enriched our Biblical understanding was terrific -
as the Scriptures indicate, knowledge shall increase in the end time (Dan.
12:4). This is often accomplished by building on the understanding, knowledge
and research of predecessors. Not only is raw knowledge increased, but so
is qualitative value-adding to doctrine with deeper and more meaningful
insights - this was a part of his capacity and the heritage which he has left
behind.

It was about 30 years ago that, as a school kid, I attempted
to research the origin of nations (Biblical origin of nations, Noah's Flood,
various laws, cremation, divorce & remarriage and many other topics were
discussed in my extended family often due to our religious roots and this led
to serious reading and debate). But it was only about two years later that
I began to make some progress in this research given the basic information
contained in Hoeh's 1957 article "Truth about the Race Question".
That basic framework was helpful in my further studies into the subject.

In letters and phone calls with him over the years, he came
across as a kindly man, willing to listen and be helpful. His reputation as a
peacemaker and avoider of confrontation was well known.

In 1996, for instance, he was very supportive of the
'Friends of the Sabbath' conference held in Sydney and was rather excited by
the whole concept. I shall never forget my conversations with him and the
moral support he gave me on this and a number of other issues.

He will be sorely missed by thousands of Church of God folk.
Yet we shall continue to maintain the approach and ongoing research of
both him and HWA for as long as we live.

My thoughts and prayers are with his family as well as those
that look forward to his research continuing in some form.

December 3, 2004

Jim Cannon

I first met Dr. Hoeh on a one-on-one basis in 1969 at his
home on Orange Grove Blvd. I had heard him speak at services and at the Feast
many time previous to my face to face visit with him. On another occasion
another AC student, myself and our dates were invited to his home one evening
for dinner at a time when Mrs. Hoeh was visiting relatives in Texas. I can only
concur with everyone who knew him and who came into contact with Dr. Hoeh that
he was a genuine servant to man and a man of God. At dinner, Dr. Hoeh waited on
us lowly students as a waiter in a fine restaurant would...but much better. It
was very humbling for us to have Dr. Hoeh wait on our every need and a great
lesson was learned by each one of us through this experience...genuine outgoing
concern and he who is greatest is a servant to all.

I believe I have been very privileged to have been in the company of Dr. Hoeh,
to attend his World History classes and the Principles of Living classes he
subbed for Mr. Herbert Armstrong. Dr. Hoeh "knew his Bible" and lived
it as well.

It will be great to see him and visit with him again in God's Kingdom in the
near future.

Respectfully,

Jim Cannon

Jupiter, FL 33458

Wily Elder

I only met with Herman Hoeh one time.  I visited the Pasadena campus in
the early 60's.  I was a Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton.  He
showed me around the campus and took me to the place where there were several
prayer booths and young people going in and closing the doors to pray.
The only specific part of the conversation that I remember was that he said:
"We are doing our best to get the message out about the kingdom of
God" or words to that effect.  He struck me as being an approachable
and dedicated person.

December 2, 2004

Ralph D. Levy

Milford, Ohio

December 1, 2004

We have all been saddened to witness the passing from the scene of those who
were our leaders in past decades. For many, myself included, the sad death of
Dr. Herman Hoeh has had a very deep impact.

I met Dr. Hoeh in the mid-1970's, when I came to Pasadena, California, as a
student at Ambassador College. We remained good friends till his death, and
would talk on the phone, and visit when I had the chance to be in Southern
California.

When I recall Dr. Hoeh's teaching, I can't help but be reminded of the words of
the Apostle Paul to the Corinthian teachers: "If anyone builds on this
foundation [Christ] with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each
one's work will become manifest; for the Day will declare it, because it will
be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it
is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a
reward" (1 Corinthians 3:12-14). So much of his teaching still sticks with
me, and with many of God's people.

Perhaps more than his teaching, I feel I profited most from his example. As
noted in many of the other comments, this fine man was an example of humility,
willingness to reach out to all, including the "little people" of
God's Church, and to serve everyone.

Most of all, I will remember him for his example of how to conduct oneself in
the household of God. Never once did I ever see this man act in a political or
self-advancing manner. He eschewed politics, and was willing to occupy the
lowest seat at all times. What a tremendous example!

Naively, I had imagined he would always be there, in the foothills of Southern
California, always ready and willing to visit an exotic restaurant, discuss the
Bible, and extend the hand of friendship. Sadly, that is not to be; but I do
hope and expect to see him again soon in the resurrection of the saints.

Goodbye to a great friend, teacher and brother, Dr. Herman Hoeh.

December 1, 2004

Don Billingsley

He and I have had a close relationship from mid-1953 through the years. At that
time he did not know how to drive and automobile in the early 50s and

as the result I often drove him here and there. I learned a great deal from his
very knowledgeable mind. Unlike many of us, he was always thinking in a

constructive manner.

One Sabbath, in the mid-50s, I drove him from Pasadena to San Diego to give a
sermon. He sat along side of me on the passenger side with his head down much
of the way. Later, I learned that during that drive he was able to determine
the present location of the Tribes of Israel.

After arriving at a Church location he would often ask the pastor what sermon
topic the members needed. One pastor said to him, "You mean you are

not prepared?" He responded by saying, "I know my Bible."

After presenting his part during a refresher course in Pasadena he was asked by
one of the ministers if he could have a copy of his transcript? He looked
puzzled. Another minister replied to the question by saying, "He does not
have a transcript." And he didn't. He was one of the very few speakers who
was able to speak clearly and concisely on any subject that he felt the need to
speak about or on any subject that was required at the time, such as the
Refresher Course.

Because of his speaking ability He was chosen by Mr. Armstrong to speak at the
funeral of Mrs. Loma Armstrong. Mr. Tkach chose him to officiate at the

funeral of Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong.

One last thing: Dr. Hoeh was a very giving person. I was one of the recipients
of his giving in those early years when times were rather hard and little
money. His giving was known by others as well. When Mr. Richard D. Armstrong
and I began driving away from Pasadena on our baptizing tour in 1958, he made
the following comment to me: "We need to be more giving like Herman
Hoeh."

Though I could write many things about Dr. Hoeh, this is enough to show the brilliant
mind God had graced him with as well as being a very giving man.

I am truly saddened by his death for he had been not only my mentor in those
early formative years, but also my friend. We spent many, many hours

together and I learned much from him.

In regard to our close relationship, a man once asked him in my presence, if he
did not feel that his closeness to me could be a problem in regard to

respect for his office? He replied (words to this effect), "If there
should be a problem, Mr. Billingsley knows the office I have and would respect
it."

And he spoke the truth.

Matthew Kalliman

1 Dec 2004

Back in about 1972 I asked Dr. Hoeh how he came to prove that God existed, that
the bible was the Word of God, and that WCG was the one true church. (I was a
prospective member at the time, a new AC student, and trying to prove these
things to myself.)

Dr. Hoeh answered that he had been brought up by religious parents and had been
taught to read the bible from his youth. He always believed the bible. He gave
the example that when he read that God had created Eve from Adam's rib, he
believed it.

As he grew older, he heard many religious preachers on the radio. He came to be
able to discern when they were biblically correct on certain points of doctrine,
but incorrect on other points. Before he heard Mr. Armstrong, he had already
come to understand many points of  truth from the bible. However, he was
not able to correlate all of these points of truth into a cohesive whole
pattern.

When Dr. Hoeh heard Mr. Armstrong on the radio, he immediately recognized Mr.
Armstrong as being God's true minister, because Mr. Armstrong taught all of the
points of doctrine which Dr. Hoeh knew to be correct, and none of the ones
which Dr. Hoeh knew to be incorrect. Therefore, Dr. Hoeh applied to go to
Ambassador College as soon as he learned Mr. Armstrong was starting it, and he
became part of Ambassador's first class in 1947.

I admire Dr. Hoeh because he was a sincere seeker of the things of God,
faithful in conscience to God (Acts 23:1, 24:16) till the day he died. He
always seemed to set a good example of keeping the two great commandments.

I wrote a comment under the heading "Who will dwell with the Lord?" a
few days ago. I think Dr. Hoeh had the kind of attitude and spirit that Christ
will honor. Jesus told the rich young man who kept God's commandments from his
youth that he still lacked something. He lacked the Holy Spirit which had not
yet been given (Acts 2, John 7:39). He lacked love (the first fruit of the Spirit
-- Gal. 5:22).  Why will Jesus reject many preachers of the gospel (Matt.
7:21-23)?  Because they lacked love (I Cor. 13:1-7). We are to judge
ministers by their fruits (Matt. 7:15-20).

Rolfe H. Jones.

Dr Herman Hoeh was one of the key characters that surrounded
and made up the World Wide Church of God. From my earliest days it was his name
along Herbert W. Armstrong and some of the other early "fathers" that
was often in discussion.  Whether as the writer of a church publication,
the source for an early church story or involvement in a church sponsored arm
of outreach or an independent one that he established on his own.  Dr.
Hoeh was an individual who managed to experience a tremendous amount and
additionally by example encourage other to experience much in life, while at
the same time managing to avoid any potential condemnation from those who could
feel that external "non- church" orientated pursuits were not
valuable.

It struck me at his recent memorial service that Dr Hoeh had
the capacity to relate to every individual he came into contact with on a
personal human level, making them feel that the interaction and conversation
that was taking place was of importance and of value.

Two sermons of note that had particular interest to me, ranged
from the "Spiritual" to the practical.  One was given of the
festival of Atonement and the other was also on "Holy Day" in the
early 90's.   The first was about how many of the leaders of various
faiths and movements around the world would be extremely surprised at how the
present day followers carried out and continued the message of the founder
(including perhaps by inference Jesus Christ - if he were of course not Devine
and all knowing).  On the practical side, Dr Hoeh spoke about the value of
preparing for hard times or a "rainy day" where all individuals if
possible should put aside in readily accessible reserves, six months of
operating expenses. This would enable an individual to retrain or properly look
for another job without fear and worry.

Dr Hoeh was a man that could converse with Kings and Paupers
equally and relate with both of them in a manner respectfully befitting
them both.  From my own recollections over the last 19 years of living in
Southern California, every time Dr Hoeh saw me in the same room, even from
quite a distance, he always made every effort to say "hello",
converse for a while and ask how my family and parents were doing.  I was
always amazed in his consistency in doing this.

He peaceful and unusual legacy will always be remembered.

Matthew 5 v 9 "Blessed are the peacemakers: for they
shall be called the children of God".

Rolfe H. Jones

Originally of London England now of Pasadena CA.

Big Sandy Class of 85

Pasadena Class of 90

Van Baker

Bloomington, Illinois

My own personal memory of Herman Hoeh- covering his car when it was parked on
the street. Most of us covered our cars occasionally at night, because of the
fruit fly spraying, but few made an effort every day to protect against the
smog of southern California.

Dr. Hoeh was at heart, I believe, a scientist (though he was not that kind of
“Dr.”)- a kind of Benjamin Franklin. His interests were certainly
legion, as well as legendary.

A good scientist, if he or she is honest, must constantly amend and update
his/her understanding of things. Dr. Hoeh was nothing if not honest, and
totally lacking in the kind of pride and vanity that keeps ordinary mortals
from admitting error.

For example, though often ridiculed these days for early works such as his
Compendium of World History, I believe he himself considered them
“immature.”

Let others be dogmatic- Dr Hoeh will be remembered, hopefully, as an inspiring
pragmatist who dedicated his life to learning.

Oleh Kubik

Binghamton, New York

In Memory of Dr.
Hoeh

We
are seeing a whole generation of men that were our leaders in the Worldwide
Church of God, one by one take their rest and wait for a resurrection. With Dr.
Hoeh I have good memories.  I remember him especially because when we read
the Plain Truth Magazine in the early 60’s, dad was enthralled by his
articles but could never pronounce his name. Dr. Hoeh, promised to come and
visit Dad.  Dad died before Dr. Hoeh was able to visit Dad. He
nevertheless kept his promise and visited Mom on his way to Central Asia.
He was honestly a humble person.

From
my perspective I will tell you why I and others respected him so much. Whether
his interpretations of scripture were accurate or not, is not the issue. He was
very tolerant of others.  He was comfortable with Buddhists, Moslems and
Seventh Day Adventists. He was a simple man that could be comfortable with the
rich and the poor.

How
is Herman Hoeh going to be judged by God.?  Its very simple. It  is a
judgment that is found in the Gospels—When I was hungry, you fed me, when
I was naked, ;you clothed me, when I was in prison, you visited me.  Its
not by perfection but by a serving giving heart.—shaped by the Spirit of
God.  To me that is the Gospel.  I really loved Dr. Hoeh.
May we see him again!

R.C. Meredith

24.11.04

As many of you already know, news came this past Sunday of the death of Dr.
Herman L. Hoeh. He would have been 76 on December 3, 2004. He lived a full and
productive life which greatly impacted many of us in the Church of God.

Herman Hoeh was my very first roommate in Ambassador College in the winter
of 1949/1950. Just the two of us shared a room. That was the beginning of a
deep friendship which lasted for over 55 years. He was different from anyone
I’d ever known before. He was extremely organized, studious and kind. He
shared with me—or I was able to observe—many helpful practices
regarding study, research, prayer and diligence. His personal kindness to
Church members and students was legendary. At a time when a number were not
getting their paychecks regularly or were underpaid in the Work, people would
sometimes hear a noise at their front door. Upon opening the door, they would
notice two large grocery bags filled with very nutritious food. Sometimes they
had no way of knowing who it was. But, upon inquiring of others, they would
find that this had happened before with others who stepped out on their front
walkway to see—perhaps half way down the block—Dr. Hoeh quietly
getting into his car and disappearing.

As the first male graduate of Ambassador College, Dr. Hoeh came to be
regarded as the "Dean of the Ministry." He and I were both ordained
December 20, 1952, by Mr. Herbert W. Armstrong as Evangelists. However, as the
senior to us in the Work, Dr. Hoeh was ordained first, then Raymond Cole, then
Dick Armstrong, then my Uncle Dr. C. Paul Meredith and last and least,
myself—as it should have been. He began teaching classes at Ambassador
College even in his senior year and, over his career undoubtedly taught
thousands of Ambassador College students. Since Mr. Armstrong turned the entire
Theology Department over to Herman Hoeh and me in the autumn of 1953, virtually
all students from then on for several years had to have us as theology
instructors. Dr. Hoeh’s razor sharp mind, his penetrating insights into
history and related matters, made him a most interesting and stimulating
instructor.

Dr. Hoeh also was a vital part of the editorial team when we were finally
able to regularly publish the Plain Truth starting early in 1953. Before that,
due to finances and the fact that Mr. Armstrong had to do everything himself,
some years there were only three or four issues and at no time was there a
complete ten or twelve issues. Dr. Hoeh had a wide range of interests and was
very helpful in the early phases of the international work of the Church, the
foreign language editions of the magazine, helping establish some of the
archeological projects in which Ambassador College students were involved and
many other activities.

...

We  ...  remember and honor the contributions of this
remarkable human being who served so well for so many years in the Work of God.
Herman Hoeh was a dear friend to me and to many, many others. His personal
kindnesses will never be forgotten.

November 27, 2004

From Gerhard Marx

Although I haven't been in direct contact with Dr Hoeh for the last 8 years, we
did spend some time together in England prior to that time. We did discuss
matters pertaining to the Work when he attended the Board of Trustees meetings
when I was a board member until I resigned when I left Worldwise for United.

In my personal contact with Dr Hoeh, I found him a person always at ease with
himself and he never made you feel second rate. You became aware that he had
only your interest at heart and I don't recall him ever having a harsh word or
speaking negatively about an individual.

Neil Earle

Pastor

Glendora/Cucamonga churches

Most of the tributes have really captured the essence of Dr. Hoeh. I'd like to
salute him as a great internationalist---someone with a heart for the little
guy and the little country. Your trip with him to the USSR showed him as he
was--no illusions about Communism yet sympathetic to the Russian people. Those
articles were written druing one of the deepest deep freezes of the Cold War
and it deserves to be reread as a model of sympathy and empathy. This old world
needs all the comitted internationalists it can get and its lost a great one.
Roger Lippross remembers Dr. Hoeh sitting there valiantly editing while he was
about to be removed as Perpetually Prominent Editor at the PT. You can't keep a
good man down--he showed up again in 1976 as WCG's sponsor of the Pygmy
Fund--remember that one?

He and John Halford gave the magazine an international perspective in the 1980s
through their International Desk--saluting countries such as Costa Rica that
did not have an army or Haiti, etc etc. This gave the PT a rare empathy and
international clout that few magazines could match. I well remember him
visiting us in Toronto about 1990 pulling the whole PT out of his pocket and
spreading it out on our living room floor--editing away.

His office was next to mine at Editorial from 1993-1996 and never was heard a
discouraging word. Someone said it best--he knew that fighting never gets you
where or what you want, you only move to a new level of problems. Last word I
had was two months ago when he was the only one I coud reach about a tribute to
Lucy Martin. The last time I saw him was Tuesday before his death steaming
across campus, head down, one hand in his jacket pocket on his way to a board
meeting (I think). We've lost the Grand Old Man of the WCG and there'll never
be another like him.

Michelle (Rasmussen)Rageth

St. Paul, MN

My prayers go out to the Hoeh family.  I was blessed to grow up in Pasadena
and have Anneliese as a close friend and classmate at Imperial.  We
would go up on her roof and sit out in the sun, while discussing all of the
things that young girls discuss.  I felt very welcome in their home,
and could see that they had a close, loving relationship.  Dr. Hoeh will
be missed by all.

Dave and Hinke Gilbert and sons,

Philadelphia, PA

One of our fondest memories of Dr. Hoeh was when he and his wife stayed with us
in Iowa about 11 or 12 years ago. Our son David, about 9 or 10 at the time, was
being picky with his food at dinner. Dr. Hoeh, noticing that he had left food
on his plate, asked, "David--are you going to eat that?" David
replied, "No, Dr. Hoeh, I'm full." The next words we heard were
"Thank-you," as Dr. Hoeh took David's plate, put it down in front of
himself and began to eat what was left.

Unconventional, to be sure, but Dr. Hoeh was a humble, content, delightful,
considerate man who always made us feel personally valued as human beings. We
will always have a warm spot in our hearts for him and look forward to being
re-united with him in the future.

November 26, 2004

From Mike Snyder --

It was a surprise and with not a little sadness that we learned of the death
of Herman L. Hoeh. Like many others, I had the personal good fortune to work
with him many times when I was in Pasadena. He was as eclectic as they come,
but he was also a singularly humble person to whom no task was beneath him. My
experiences with Dr. Hoeh, as I’m certain many others can say, ranged
widely from the outrageously humorous to the profoundly somber. He taught me
quite a bit. On Thanksgiving Day, here are a few of those experiences:

--Although I had talked briefly with Dr. Hoeh many times as an AC student in
the 1970s, I had never spent any real time with him until I was sent over to
his Hall of Administration office in the Fall of 1979.

Dr. Hoeh was on the phone when I arrived, and he motioned that he would just be
a moment. I took the time to examine the many shelves of books he had. I was struck
by the fact that he had the entire collection of the Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew
series. I asked him about it, thinking that they were intended to be donated.

He replied that they were his, to my great surprise. His explanation?
“The ability to read is a gift. What we place into our minds by using
this gift must be selected with care, as everything we read influences us.
Those books [Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew] are simple but satisfying for a tired
mind desiring entertainment. They always end with justice being served. In my
view, they represent a suitable alternative to the rubbish that many
unfortunately prefer.”

--Dr. Hoeh’s legendary capacity for extremely hot and spicy foods never
ceased to amaze me. Once, my sister Kathy accidentally switched the cayenne
pepper requirements for her organic chili recipe. Instead of a teaspoon, she
put in a full cup of cayenne pepper. Unable to eat it, she canned it and gave
it to me (I like spicy foods). At lunchtime, I heated some up in the Editorial
Services microwave. It nearly killed me.

Dr. Hoeh tried it and pronounced it the “best chili I’ve had in a
long while.” I gave him five Mason jars full of this inedible,
near-lethal concoction. A few days later he returned the clean jars, stating
that he and Mrs. Hoeh liked it so much, they had it for breakfast everyday!

--Once Dr. Hoeh noticed a scholarly book on Egypt on my desk at Editorial.
“I don’t recall loaning you this copy,” he said, picking it
up. I replied that I had purchased it while at the British Museum during the
Feast. “Ah yes,” he said approvingly. “And I am certain your
reading of it has been beneficial. As you and I know, one gains far more
utility from a book in actually having read it, as opposed to employing such a
work as an office ornament to give the appearance of intellectualism.” As
a then 29-year-old “senior” writer for The Plain Truth, I never
forgot that lesson.

--When asked a question that concerned the past in some form, Dr. Hoeh usually
opened with the phrase “If memory serves…” Once I asked him
why. He replied: “It’s the only way to have an honest conversation.
No one possesses perfect memory. If you reply to a question without the facts
in front of you or imminently fresh in your mind, then you can chose to be
either arrogant or honest.”

--Finally, the most profound bit I ever heard from Dr. Hoeh was this: I had
written a draft of a Plain Truth article in 1983 that included the account of
Loma Armstrong’s challenge to Herbert Armstrong about the Sabbath and how
Mr. Armstrong’s attempt to use the Bible as a defense had led to him
accepting the Bible as divine authority. Dr. Hoeh had struck it out in his
edits.

Sitting in his tiny office in Editorial Services (Dr. Hoeh humbly and
personally chose that space and refused any larger, more expansive office), I
asked him why.

“Mr. Snyder,” he said, using the “Mr.” that always
heralded the fact that I was about to receive an important lesson, “you
should realize by now that the Sabbath challenge as it relates to the
conversion of Herbert Armstrong is but a ‘happy illusion.’

“What led to the conversion and change of Herbert Armstrong was simply
this: in a time of severe need, Mr. Armstrong fervently prayed for relief and
guidance. To his great astonishment, the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob answered.”

Dr. Hoeh was a man of humility and a true champion of diversity. He will be
missed.

Michael Snyder, Indianapolis, IN

From James McBride

Greetings from England. While I worked at the Bricket Wood campus in the
60/70s my wife and I 'entertained' Dr Hoeh in our home in one of the small
College-owned cottages. He sat in our kitchen eating home-made bread and
(pretending!) he enjoyed it. While the great and the good were living high in a
posh hotel for breakfast he was in his room heating lentils on the radiator. I
also steered him around UK bookshops - always wondering when he would stop for
lunch!! He entertained John Hopkinson and me in his home in CA - with a glass
of refreshing goat's milk from his herd.

A fine man and an example for all. We, certainly, shall miss him.

From John Gill

Dr. Hoeh visited the Waco, TX, WCG back in the late 1980's. It was a double
service with a.m. and p.m. services. Something he said in the a.m. service
inspired my daughter who was about 5 at the time to draw a picture of a nature
scene. She presented him with the picture before lunch. After lunch, when he
began to speak again, he took a few minutes to show the congregation the
picture and to thank her for it. He genuinely appreciated it. That was the only
time I met Dr. Hoeh, but that incident endeared me to the man. Critics can say
what they may, but from my perspective, this was one fine man.

From Jared Olar

Your obituary of Herman Hoeh probably sums up my own thoughts and feelings
about him as well. He'll be remembered in COG and ex-COG circles as an enigma,
and an Armstrongist minister who was, it appears, refreshingly un-ambitious ...
I'm grateful that he helped spark my interest in ancient and medieval history,
or rather helped me discover that the study of such things can be a source of
joy...

From Giving and Sharing

The lanky minister walked slowly towards the podium, as over
10,000 people waited in anticipation for his sermon to begin. Before reaching
the lectern, he stopped, leaned over, and picked up a piece of paper that
someone had carelessly littered on the floor. Dr. Herman Hoeh put the scrap
into his pocket, arrived at the speaker's stand, and paused, as the audience
sheepishly squirmed in their seats. Before opening his mouth, he had "preached"
one of the most powerful messages I have ever "heard." It is a
message that few professed Bible believers will heed.<

(http://www.giveshare.org/HolyDay/ecology.html)

From Dr. John Merritt

This is certainly a loss to us all.

He was really one of the true "heroes of the
faith" in our time, and always an example of excellence in scholarship
linked to strong personal faithfulness. And his reputation of accomplishing so
much while idealizing the simple, plain life style, of not being encumbered by
stuff, of loving and serving the common folk, regardless of status.... are all
wonderful examples to us all.

Although all us ol' timers always knew who he was, the
younger generation (after 80s) often did not even know the name.

When one of my younger kids asked one of the older ones,
"Who's Dr Hoeh"

The older one said, "He's the Mr Spock of the
WWG" . The younger one clearly understood, being also
versed in Star Trek personalities.

I told Dr Hoeh of this comment, and he smiled quietly, also
completely understanding.

Good bye Dr Hoeh. See you in that better resurrection.

John Merritt

From John Brian Heath

From the moment I knew who he was, I had a fascination with Dr. Hoeh. I stood
in awe of his eclectic interests. As a teenager not yet attending church, I
searched high and low to locate his legendary Compendium of World History. When
I finally tracked down a copy, I was a bit disappointed that it was so hard to
follow, but nevertheless, it helped cultivate an interest in history that I
retain to this day.

My first opportunity to meet Dr. Hoeh was in the spring of 1988, when he and
his wife visited Raleigh, North Carolina for the Days of Unleavened Bread. I
had only been attending church a few short months, and to meet Dr. Hoeh was an
opportunity I couldn’t pass up.

During the time I was in Big Sandy, Dr. Hoeh would visit campus from time to
time. I remember the extended announcement he made to inform us that Dr.
Russell Duke had been named as Ambassador’s sixth president.

We all sat there wondering “When is he going to get to the point?”
But we all knew that was Dr. Hoeh’s style, even when it came to major
announcements like this one. It was a privilege to have him in the audience at
our graduation in 1997 – the final commencement conducted in Big Sandy.
He had been there from the start in 1947, and now he was the only one from
those earliest days to watch it draw to a close fifty years later. What
I’ll treasure the most from Graduation Weekend was being able to
introduce him to my parents and hear him tell them how he appreciated the
contributions I had made to Ambassador.

Earlier this year, I was in California for a work related trip. I had not been
to Pasadena in a few years, and didn’t know when I’d get another
opportunity. I called Dr. Hoeh and asked if he’d be willing to meet for
breakfast. Even though we had met several times in the past, I had never had
the opportunity to talk with him at length. Like so many other people I’m
sure, there were lots of things I wanted to ask him about. He was very open to
getting together, and he took me to a small café in Altadena, not far
from Mountain View Cemetery. We talked about a wide range of subjects –
everything from the subject of my dissertation, to Sabbatarian history in
America, the AIDS crisis, the early years of Ambassador, and many other things.
It was a privilege to be able to see him one final time.

There were many things I learned from Dr. Hoeh. He certainly wasn’t
wasteful. I remember writing to him several times as a teenager. He would
always write his response at the bottom of my letter, and enclosed it in
“Youth’81” envelopes (and this was 1987 as I remember!).

When we met for breakfast that morning in January, he looked across at my plate
after I had finished and asked “Are you going to eat that
avocado?”. When I told him no, without warning he reached across the
table with his fork and took it himself! Perhaps most importantly, Dr.

Hoeh knew how to be a peacemaker. He knew how to rise above conflict and
disagreements. And what an important lesson we can all learn there.

In a few months, I will be completing my doctoral degree in educational administration
at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. When I think about all the
people throughout my life who have influenced and inspired me to be where I am
today – Dr. Hoeh stands near the top of the list. I hope I’ll be
able to pass on that influence to others.

John Brian Heath

Ambassador University – Class of 1997

Ed.D. Candidate – The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Tribute to Dr. Herman L. Hoeh from Victor Kubik

Dr. Hoeh was my mentor and the most valuable teacher I’ve ever had on the
subject of practical Christianity. My training from him began in my freshman
year of Ambassador College. He asked me to accompany him and his wife Isabell
on a remarkable seven week trip to the Soviet Union where I served as his
translator and photographer. Our friendship continued for the next 37 years.
From how he treated all people I see why the words “Of genuine heart and
rare understanding” will be inscribed on his headstone.

Dr. Hoeh loved humanity. He treated everyone as a though they indeed were made
in God’s image and destined for immortality. God so loved the world that
He gave his only begotten Son for mankind. In like manner Dr. Hoeh sacrificed
his life for so many. He wanted to do his part in the betterment of those who
came into his life, especially the common people. This he did with the greatest
humility. People tell many “Dr. Hoeh stories” – most of them
deal with his unique manner and interaction with the diversity of humanity
which he loved.

One of Dr. Hoeh’s children summarized his life by declaring that he was a
servant. He supported the underdogs, the less privileged. He shunned the elite
and those who expected to be served. For me personally, his kindness to our
family through the death of both my parents was his greatest service to us. I
will never forget that.

Here is a brief summary of what I learned from my mentor Dr. Hoeh:

1. Value all people. Everyone is made in God’s image and has the
potential to be in His family. Value mankind as God values mankind by thinking
the best and giving every opportunity for a person to rise to their best. Dr.
Hoeh always spoke of people with dignity and respect both publicly and
privately.

2. Serve mankind with humility. Put others ahead of you at your expense. Seek
out those who need a hand. Not all will understand or appreciate the good that
you do, but realize that doing good is not between you and them; it is between
you and God.

3. Seek peace and strive to resolve conflict by giving up your position and
status. Sometimes I wondered why Dr. Hoeh didn’t fight more for his
causes. His philosophy was that the fight was not his and that human battle did
not achieve ultimate peace.

May God give you rest from the turbulence of our times, Dr. Hoeh. In the
resurrection I want to see my parents first, but then I want to find you and
give you a big hug. You are truly a person of “genuine heart and rare
understanding.”

The most important contribution Dr Hoeh made to my life was the sermon I
still have the tape on the spiritual differences and it's application between
the old covenant and the new one. After listening to it countless times, I am a
slow learner, I eventually got it. What a gem of information!! It definitely
helped with the storms that came.

Carlo Mkarewicz

Pasadena  1978-80

November 23, 2004

From David Sandland

Australia

I am sure many of us can recall stories and events that showed the personal
side of Dr. Hoeh...how he was a caring and connected man.

Many, many years ago I visited my brother-in-law in the US...I believe he was
in Kentucky at the time. One of the members told a story of Dr. Hoeh coming to
the area for a Church visit and was to stay at her house. Of course she was all
in a flap...cleaned the house spotlessly. And even went to the expense and
effort of buying new sheets for the guest bed. In the morning she not
iced the bed was made up and told Dr. Hoeh he didn't have to go to all that
trouble to make up the bed.

Make the bed? No, I couldn't sleep in such a new and beautiful bed...I just
slept on the floor!

True.

And John Larkin could recount the time in Bricket Wood he was running late
cleaning up after the mid-day HolyDay meal. He expected to miss the afternoon
service. To his amazement, Dr Hoeh came along and grabbed the other side of the
garbage bin...come on, we'll get all this cleaned up so we can both hear the
afternoon's message.

Ah, fond memories of a real nice man.

David Sandland

November 23, 2004

From Bob Petry

I just found out that Dr. Herman Hoeh has died.

In remembering my days at college and my memories of Dr. Hoeh, it really struck
me at what we all have lost over the years. The RCG was, in fact, a real
driving force in striving to understand the Scriptures.

Sure, it wasn't all understood correctly, but I have never seen in any organization
or people since then the drive to study that book and apply it to ones own
life, and to tell the world about it. That has been lost now, including some
very wonderful people, warts and all!!

If it hadn't been for Dr. Hoeh, I might never have married my wonderful wife
Arlene. Dr. Hoeh encouraged me all the way, while another minister tried to
dissuade me. I listened to Dr. Hoeh, and he was right. She was meant for me and
vice versa.

I shall always have very fond memories of Dr. Hoeh, from times in his classes,
discussions and counseling in his office, to visits to his home. He was truly a
wonderful brilliant man.

We have all lost a brilliant light in our struggle through the darkness of this
human life.

It will be a great day to meet him again in the resurrection, along with many
others who have preceded him. What a day when we all can stand before the
Father and Son as brothers and sisters working throughout eternity together.

All the best,

Bob Petry

November 23, 2004

Yair Davidy praises HL Hoeh

The Passing of a Scholar (H. L. HOEH) Herman L. HOEH has just passed away.
H. L. HOEH greeted the first publication of "The Tribes"
enthusiastically and recommended his acquaintances and students to buy it. He
was one of our first supporters.

He was the author of a history of the world that relied heavily on traditional
and mythological sources many of which were relatively unknown and difficult to
come by. His work is an invaluable fount of source material and well worth
reading.

Herman L. HOEH, "Compendium of World History", A Dissertation
Presented to The Faculty of the Ambassador College Graduate School of Theology
In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Theology,
1962 (1963-1965, 1967 Edition), USA.

We did not know H. L. HOEH personally but spoke to him a few times on the phone
and found him to be civil, considerate, and discerning. May he rest in peace.

Yair Davidy