Clayce Lynn Herbert – Union County Daily Digital

Clayce Lynn Herbert, age 84, of Marysville, passed away peacefully (but unexpectedly) at home on Friday, October 14, 2022. Clayce was born Oct. 19, 1937 in Niles, Ohio to the humble, working-class family of the late Lynn Scott and Olive Marie Burrows Herbert. A man of deep Christian faith, Clayce graduated from Mineral Ridge High School in Mineral Ridge, Ohio where he was a star All-State athlete, and was aptly voted as “Best Personality” in his high school class. After turning down an offer to play professional baseball, he enlisted in the U.S. Air Force during the Cold War. While serving in the Air Force, he ran track, and had many stories about performing electronic counter-surveillance on the Soviet Union from a remote island off the coast of Japan. After being honorably discharged from the Air Force, he continued his education at Northwestern University’s Graduate Trust School and became a banker with Union Savings and Trust in Warren, Ohio which later became Bank One. While he had helped build Bank One’s trust department into a national brand, he lost his job during the banking consolidations in the 1990’s. He continued to work hard to support his family but found it difficult to find another banking position because he was over the age of 50. A small bank in West Virginia eventually recognized his immense talent and hired him. He worked many years commuting from Lordstown, Ohio to that bank in Parkersburg, West Virginia. That bank later became Huntington National Bank, where he loyally served out his remaining career until his retirement at the age of 75. While raising his family in the small village of Lordstown, he became involved in the community, most notably serving as the Village Treasurer for many years. He was a gifted negotiator and was particularly proud of bringing public water to this small, rural hamlet. In 1998, he relocated to Central Ohio to be near family and continue his career with Huntington. He and Emily moved to Marysville in 2016. His family will fondly remember him as the fiercely independent and reliable father and grandfather who would drop anything to help his family, whether it be fixing toys for the grandkids, diagnosing home repairs, babysitting, cheering loudly from the stands or shuttling grandkids to activities. He was the family photographer and famously took photos at the most inopportune times so few of them ever came out. He was an unforgettable character that filled every room he entered and had little verbal “filter.” He also loved the extended family that he gained when his daughter Sarah married Nathan Watts, where he memorably gave a hilarious and good-natured “roast” rather than a “toast” at their wedding, which family and friends still talk about to this day. He particularly enjoyed the annual White Elephant Christmas Party where he joined the kids in sitting on Santa’s lap and was no-holds-barred when it came to swapping gifts. A staunch conservative who was proudly patriotic, he often volunteered for the Union County Republican Party. Although he grew up desperately poor—having only three shirts to his name in high school—he valued experiences and relationships above all and instilled the same values in his children. As the family processes their grief, they ask that family and friends honor him in a way that reflects his values, whether it be getting the grandkids together with the grandparents, flying the American flag, speaking up fearlessly for your values, turning off the tv, putting down the cell phone, and remembering that every day with your loved ones is truly a gift. In addition to his parents, he was also preceded in death by his brothers, Larry Herbert and Greg Snyder. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Emily Ann Hall Herbert, who he met in a church pew and was the love of his life for almost 50 years; his children Lori (Don) Williams, Logan Quattlebaum, Douglas (Corinne Goodman) Herbert, Rebecca Herbert and Sarah (Nathan Watts) Herbert; 11 grandchildren, Christopher (Karissa) Williams, Elizabeth (Brennan) Houbrick, Abigail (Justin) Holden, Hosanna Williams, MaryGrace Williams, Lydia (Austin) Wilson, Caleb Quattlebaum, Jonathan Quattlebaum, and the “apples of his eye,” Katherine, Tyler and Matthew Watts (with whom he spent endless hours teaching them to fish, hunt frogs, identify trees and sing God Bless America); as well as nine great-grandchildren. Private graveside services will be held at Oakdale Cemetery. Underwood Funeral Home is assisting the family. The family will gather at a later date to celebrate Clayce’s wonderful life and legacy. In lieu of flowers or gifts, you may honor Clayce’s legacy by contributing to his memorial tree and bench fund at www.gofundme.com/f/memorial-tree-fund-for-clayce-herbert.