Herbert Hilton Lord, 60, of Cool Ridge, died Monday, August 10, following a sudden illness. He was born on the 22nd of April 1949, in Biloxi, Miss., far from his beloved home of Cool Ridge, W.Va. He was born to Claudia Christensen, and was raised by his grandparents, Elfie and Hans Iver Christensen. He graduated from Dan McCarty High School in 1967, where he was a member of the football and track teams. While there he was awarded two honors that he was very proud of, one being nominated to Florida Boys State, and then being chosen to go to Washington, D.C., and being awarded The American Legion Certificate of School Award. Our father Herbert Hilton Lord, and husband to Mary Lord of 39 years, cannot be described, because he was the greatest individual that we will ever know. He was a great man in every nuance of the word, not because of what he accomplished and is written and documented about him, but by all the little things that he never discussed, and completed, always with the thought of helping someone else. After graduation, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1968. Upon completing boot camp, he was recognized as the outstanding Marine of his platoon. During his four years in the Marine Corps he attained to the rank of Sergeant, specializing in Aviation maintenance, stationed in Japan and at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, N.C. But the greatest accomplishment that he ever spoke of, was when he came home on leave, to West Virginia, and met our mother, the love of his life, Mary Catherine McGrady of Pierpoint, W.Va. He fell instantly in love and knew that they would be together forever. That was September of 1969 and they were then married in January of 1970. In 1972, he was honorably discharged and moved to Huntington, W.Va., where he attended Marshall University and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Education, then completed his Master of Arts Degree in Administration from the West Virginia School of Graduate Studies. He started his career in Raleigh County at Beaver Elementary in 1976 as a math teacher, and then took over as the Assistant Principal until 1986. He then moved to Odd Elementary and was the Principal there from 1986 until 1988. From there he went to Ghent Elementary and again was the Principal from 1988 until 1994. He finished his career at Shady Spring High School as the Assistant Principal, serving in this position from 1994 until 2007. When first arriving at Shady Spring High School he worked tirelessly with the Touchdown Club, along with John Lilly, Chick Munson, and Charlie Alls. Our father accomplished so much that it is hard to decide what to say; while at Beaver Elementary he started a math class for the parents, so they could help their children; he loved working with 4-H and VoAg classes, and traveled the state as a member of the School Accreditation Team. He loved every aspect of teaching, but most of all, the interaction with the students. His interests were more than just that; he loved everything!! He achieved the level of Black Belt in Judo and Tae Kwon Do, loved to travel, twice driving across country. He enjoyed collecting lighthouses and M&M; NASCAR collectibles, and cutting grass at the golf course. His most recent interest was to begin his travels, with our mom, and to start making more memories in their journeys while RVing. He also loved riding in his jeep, with the top down, mom beside him, with their new furry companion, Ginger, riding right along. But our father's true and lifelong love was our family: Mary, Steve and Sara. He has blessed us with a strong sense of family and an undying love and admiration for him. He gladly and whole-heartedly embraced the additions to our family, Michelle and Brian. He then blessed them, as well, with his love and enjoyment of life. We have all been truly blessed.