Obituary: Herbert Vannasse

The following is from Joyce Funeral Home.

Mr. Herbert E. Vannasse, of Waltham, died Thursday, April 24, 2014 at his home. He was 94.

Herb was born on Aug. 11, 1919 in Belmont, a son of the late Henry and Amanda (Verrette) Vannasse, and was a graduate of Belmont High School. He worked for a number of years for Metropolitan Coach Service, a company started by his father in the 1920s that provided bus service in Belmont and in Waltham, mainly to and from the hospitals along Trapelo Road to Waverly Square and beyond. After that, he worked for Standard Electric Supply Company in Waltham until his retirement.

On June 20, 1948, he married Waltham native Anna-May Monks in Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church and the couple settled in Waltham and have been residents since. Herb and Anna-May enjoyed traveling the country and the world and were able to visit 86 countries. When their sons were growing up, Herb was a baseball coach with the North Waltham Baseball League and was a Scout Leader at the troop at Northeast Elementary School. Another of his favorite hobbies was the restoration of foreign sports cars.

In addition to his wife of 66 years, Anna-May, he leaves his children, Henry J.Vannasse and his wife Maureen of Stow and Herbert E. Vannasse Jr. and his wife Erin of Waltham; his grandchildren, Ashley and Aubrie Vannasse of Stow, and several nieces and nephews.

Herb was a brother of the late Walter, Edward and Ernest "Jimmy" Vannasse, Laura Wilson, Pauline Ahlman and Rita Murphy.

Family and friends will honor and remember Herb's life by gathering for calling hours in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main St. (Route 20), Waltham, on Sunday, April 27, from 3-7 p.m. and again at 9 a.m. on Monday morning before leaving in procession to Our Lady Comforter of the Afflicted Church, 880 Trapelo Road, Waltham, where his funeral mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Burial will follow in Mount Feake Cemetery, Waltham.