Clarence "Clancy ("Babe")" O'Neill

It is with deep sorrow that we announce the passing of Clarence (Clancy) O'Neill. Clancy was born in Tacoma on March 23, 1931, and transitioned out of this life on October 27, 2025. Through his journey of 94 years, he touched many lives with his friendship, humor and an unwavering spirit of perseverance.

Clancy (aka "Babe" to his close family and friends) was the picture of a man who set his own course in life. This started with his decision to leave high school before graduating after a vigorous "dispute" with his school principal. Newly freed-up from boring classes and not wanting to sit idle, he quickly joined the Navy and served 4 years during the Korean War. During that time, he saw the world (mostly Japan) and earned his GED.

Following his Navy adventures, Clancy worked odd jobs while attending the University of Washington, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering. It was during this time, that he would meet and fall in love with an equally hardworking woman, Helen Pfister. Clancy and Helen would be married until his death, sixty-nine years later.

Freshly employed by the Boeing Company, Clancy and Helen settled down in beautiful Federal Way, Washington. It was there that they built a new house with the help of his brother, Don. The family grew to four with the arrivals of two lively children, Steve, in 1960, and Mike, in 1964. It continued to grow with the addition of beloved daughters-in-law, Vicky and Basma, and again with granddaughters, Riann, Sophie, Kaylie, and Natalie.

At Boeing, Clancy was honored to be selected as a test-flight engineer for the newly designed Boeing 747; the aircraft that would, ultimately, save Boeing from bankruptcy. When not saving companies, Clancy found time to coach his kids in soccer and baseball; support Helen's growing Arabian horse empire; and, single-handedly, engage in a long string of ambitious home improvement renovations, never hiring a single contractor (although, Steve and Mike provided free labor).

A memorial service celebrating Clancy's exceptional life will be held on November 12, 2025, at 2:00 pm, at Bonney-Watson, Federal Way. He will be interred at Tahoma National Cemetery on November 13 th, at 10:30 am. We invite all who knew and loved Clancy to join us in honoring his memory.