Clarence “Clancy” O’Connor Corbin was born October 23, 1938 in Dallas, TX to Clarence Henry Corbin and Opal Estelle Huckabay Corbin. He passed away peacefully at home, surrounded by family, on August 21, 2025. Clarence’s 86 years were full of adventure, travel, and deep, long-lasting friendships.

After graduating from North Dallas High School as a State Champion track star and receiving his bachelor’s degree in history from East Texas State University (now Texas A&M at Commerce), Clarence began his decades-long career in the airline industry. He started his career at Tricon Airlines flying deceased American servicemen back to Texas. He then worked for Braniff International Airways for over twenty years. After Braniff’s bankruptcy, Clarence flew for Overseas National in Karachi, Pakistan before being hired by Piedmont Airlines. He loved flying for Piedmont with all the “old Braniff guys.” He then flew for USAirways until his retirement in 1998 at the age of 60. Far from being finished with aviation, Clarence was hired as an instructor/check airman at Southwest Airlines in 2000. He spent 20 years not just training pilots (AKA his “bear cubs”), but also tutoring and mentoring them in his spare time. In 2015, Clarence received a Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award from the Federal Aviation Administration. After nearly six decades in aviation, Clarence took an “early retirement” package at the age of 82.

In the mid-1990s, Clarence discovered Cowboy Action Shooting and adopted the alias Cactus Buck as a member of the Texican Rangers. Over the decades in which he enjoyed the sport, Clarence participated in innumerable competitions throughout the country and won dozens of first-place awards.

Clarence was preceded in death by his parents, his son Clarence “Corky” O’Connor Corbin Jr. and several dear friends. He is survived by his wife, Andrea Ford Corbin, his children Jenny Corbin Edwards (Jay), Sage Corbin Swaim (Tim), Caroline Corbin Garza (Jonathan), his grandchildren Cheyenne Corbin Jaco, Serene Corbin, Derek Corbin, Joshua Corbin, Opal Edwards, Jacob Edwards (Arielle), Isabelle Edwards Waite (Connor), Alexandria Swaim Allport (Billy), Grayson Swaim, and great-grandchildren Roman Szal, Brooklyn Jaco, Atticus Jaco, Forrest Corbin, Rush Edwards, Briggs Edwards, Adeline Allport, and Eloise Allport, as well as many close friends whom Clarence deeply loved.

Clarence’s life will be celebrated with stories, laughter, and fellowship at 2:00 p.m. on November 8 at Grimes Funeral Home in Kerrville, TX. 

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