Herbert Duncan Chaffey

1936 - 2016

Herbert Duncan Chaffey

July 26, 1936 ~ May 18, 2016

Herb passed away at home May 18, 2016 in Medina at the age of 79. Born July 26, 1936 in Hoquiam, Washington, Herb was the second of three boys in his family. He spent his youth working in the logging industry and upon graduation from Weatherwax High School, he went to Washington State University on a football scholarship. Uncertain about what field he wanted to pursue, he left college and served in the US Navy. He later transferred to the University of Washington where he became a member of the Theta Chi fraternity. He graduated in 1961 with a degree in accounting. After working in the accounting field for a few years, he realized he was more entrepreneur than accountant and in 1963 he partnered with Don Wick to begin building homes under the name, Wick Homes, Inc. A short while later, he purchased Wick's interest in the company and, in the 52 years since, built over 13,000 homes in King, Snohomish, Pierce and Kitsap Counties, as well as in Canada. Twenty of those years were spent mentoring and working together with his children in the family business, Chaffey Homes, Inc. Herb loved the smell of fresh cut lumber and walking the houses as they were in various stages of production. He expected excellence and it showed in the houses he built.

Herb built a legacy under the name Chaffey, not only in the home building arena, but also in the area of youth baseball. The Chaffey Baseball team, a group of talented 15-18 year old boys, has been a perennial select baseball power in the Pacific Northwest for over 35 years. Most of the students involved in the program go on to play Division I baseball in college and some have continued on to the major leagues. Herb spent countless hours with these young men, encouraging them to grow, learn and succeed, not only in the sport he loved so much, but also in their education and career pursuits.

Herb's love of the University of Washington Huskies, combined with his love of baseball, resulted in his desire to see the UW build a first class baseball stadium. That dream was realized in 2009, when the University of Washington dedicated and named the baseball field "Chaffey Field" in appreciation of his generosity and support.

In both his work and his personal life, Herb set the bar high. He believed that reputation was everything and he taught others to "go to work on your reputation every day". He evoked a deep sense of respect and loyalty from those that knew him. He had a very generous heart, providing financial assistance to many individuals and organizations throughout his life's journey. His generosity towards others was a constant, yet he never took credit for it.

Herb is survived by his beloved wife, Merry Michael Chaffey, his brother, Thomas Chaffey, his children, Susan Chaffey, Robert Chaffey (Jennifer), Rick Chaffey, his stepchildren, Melissa Glynn (Andrew) and James Krueger and seven grandchildren, Aaron and Abigail Stapleton, Isabella, Alexander, Sophia and Brooke Chaffey and Julia Glynn.

A celebration of his life will be held at the Don James Center, located on the north side of Husky Stadium, University of Washington, 3800 Montlake Boulevard, Seattle (206) 543-2210 on June 15, 2016 at 4:00 pm.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to: Herb Chaffey Memorial Scholarship Fund, c/o Chaffey Baseball, PO Box 1415, North Bend, WA 98045, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Attn: Donations, PO Box 19023, Seattle, WA 98109-1023, or charities of your choice.