Obituary: Clancy Joe Herbst

May 16, 1928 – June 21, 2023

 
The family of Clarence A. Herbst, Jr. are sad to announce that he passed away in the early morning of the summer solstice, June 21, at age 95.  He died peacefully of natural causes after a gradual decline, with many loving last visits from friends and family.
 
A savvy and influential businessman, investor, philanthropist, mentor, and devoted family man, Clancy Joe will be remembered for his wry wit, his dedication to education, his love of his family, and his service to humanity through his generosity to numerous nonprofit organizations, as well as personal support of the many young people — scholars, diplomats, musicians and veterans — he helped to get a start in life.
 
Clancy Joe was born outside Chicago in 1928, growing up in the Great Depression and World War II.  He learned the value of hard work and how to cope with harsh times.  He followed his father’s footsteps in chemical engineering, studying at the University of Colorado in Boulder from 1946-1950, and forging a life-long bond with the school.
 
While at college, Clancy Joe was a three-time Buffalo letterman in swimming, specializing in the breaststroke.  He told of a professor who refused to let him reschedule an exam that conflicted with an important swim meet.  Clancy went to the meet, helped the Buffalos win the competition, and flunked the class, which he had to retake over the summer.  He was a collector of Buffalo memorabilia, from belt buckles to a buffalo head presented to him by the president of the University for his service.  He was always proud of his long association with the University of Colorado.
 
Clancy graduated CU as the Korean War broke out in 1950, and he was promptly drafted.  He was assigned to work at a top secret army facility, Dugway Proving Grounds in Utah, where new chemical and biological weapons were tested.  He recalled having to retrieve unexploded munitions, never sure if they might still go off.
 
After serving two years in the military, Clancy Joe joined his father at the family business in Illinois. They specialized in molding compounds and engine components.  During this time, Clancy Joe also earned his MBA at the University of Chicago.
 
Clancy Joe worked at and supported the family business from 1953 through 2022.  He performed and excelled at all job positions, achieving the position of President, and culminating as Chairman of the Board of Directors.  Clancy Joe’s talents and energy helped create and maintain a successful business that in turn supplied good and lasting jobs for his many co-workers.  He was very proud of finding new ways to help his colleagues invest in their future, and contributing to the success of those with whom he worked.
 
Clancy Joe married fellow CU graduate Judith Jacobi while serving in Utah. They had three children, all of whom married and had children of their own.  While Park Ridge, Illinois, was home base for the family, Clancy made sure to punctuate midwestern life with annual family adventures out west, especially to Colorado.
 
Clancy met his second wife, Linda Vitti, in 1983, a few years after his amicable separation from Judith. Linda shared many of Clancy’s interests, from international travel to history, opera, and higher education.
 
They were both philanthropists and, together, they created the Herbst Program for Engineering, Ethics & Society in the school of Engineering at CU in Boulder.  Clancy’s passion for education also led him to establish the Herbst Academic Center in CU Boulder’s Dal Ward Athletic Center, which led to a significant increase in graduation rates for athletes.  He also co-founded the McCord-Herbst Student Veteran Center at CU in Colorado Springs, to help service members further their education.  Clancy Joe and Linda supported innumerable other programs in the Chicago, Denver, and Aspen areas, along with mentoring students most of their lives.
 
Clancy Joe also studied investing principles and served over 20 years as a trustee for CU’s Foundation endowment, rising to become its Director and Board Chair.  He always endorsed indexing the U.S. stock market for the best returns at the lowest costs.  Over his lifetime, Clancy Joe was one of the top donors to CU, persuading his many friends to make major contributions as well.
 
CU’s Buffaloes Sports Information Service notes, “Among his many honors, Herbst was a recipient of the University Medal, the CU Distinguished Engineering Alumni Award, the Ira C. Rothgerber Volunteer Service Award, and the CU Athletic Hall of Honor Award.  He was honored as “Living Legend” by the University of Colorado Alumni C Club in 1997, and he was awarded an Honorary Degree and Doctorate of Humane Letters from CU Denver in 1995.”
 
Clancy Joe had a knack for making friends wherever he went, and he traveled extensively.  Besides annual reunions with school friends from kindergarten onward, as well as travels throughout the country to regularly visit old army buddies, Clancy traveled the world.  He explored  Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, Australia, and other distant places.  He had a special interest in the ancient silk road that once connected trade from Europe to China, and he travelled the length of it from Beijing to Venice with Norwegian friends, taking it in segments over a 20 year period.  At the age of 70, he took his grandson mountain biking in Pakistan.  Clancy Joe culminated his world explorations by circumnavigating the North Pole in a Russian icebreaker at the age of 89.
 
Clancy Joe Herbst was proceeded in death by Judith Jacobi Herbst, and his daughter Nancy Herbst Unger.  He is survived by his wife Linda Vitti; his son Casey Herbst and Casey’s family; daughter Kathy Herbst Lindholm and her family; grandson Mat Unger (son of Nancy Herbst Unger) and Mat’s family; and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be missed and remembered fondly by his many friends in Aspen and all around the world.
 
Clancy wished to have his ashes scattered in Colorado.  His family is working with the University to plan a memorial celebration of his life sometime this fall.  An announcement will be made when the details are decided.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent in Clancy Joe Herbst’s honor to any of his favorite organizations, including:
n  The Herbst Program in Engineering, Ethics and Society – contact Anja Lange, Director, in the Engineering School at CU Boulder, at anja.lange@colorado.edu
n  Avenues to Independence (Support services and job training for people with intellectual disabilities) – contact Joni Kraft at kraft@avenuestoindependence.org
n  Bridging Bionics (Support services for people with neurological mobility impairments) – Contact Amanda Boxtel at amanda@bridgingbionics.org