Clarence “Clancy” Matsuda, 85

Colonel (Retired) Clarence (Clancy) Genji Matsuda, 85, of Brandon, died Saturday, Feb. 11, 2023, at Good Samaritan Village, Sioux Falls.  

Visitation with family will be 4:30-6:30pm, Saturday, Feb. 18, 2023, at Spirit of Truth Lutheran Church, Brandon. Memorial services will begin at 2 p.m, Sunday, Feb. 19, 2023, also at Spirit of Truth Lutheran Church. Burial will be 2 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 22, 2023, at the SD State Veteran’s Cemetery, with Full Military Honors. A livestream link with be provided for viewing on Saturday.

Clarence “Clancy” Genji Matsuda was born on July 18, 1937, in Honolulu, Hawaii, to Genyei and Miyo (Miyashiro) Matsuda. He entered the U.S. Military Academy Preparatory School in 1956, and the U.S. Military Academy in 1957. He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S Army through Officers’ Candidate School in December 1961. Overseas assignments included Santo Domingo, two tours in Vietnam, and Korea. 

After 21 moves with his wife (and later, his family), he retired from the Army on Aug. 31, 1989. He and Connie settled in Brandon in 1990. After his retirement from the Army, he spent three seasons as a volunteer football coach. His Christian faith guided much of his activity. Clancy graduated from North American Baptist Seminary before serving as a counsellor at the West Farm and made missionary trips to Russia and Mongolia. He served in various leadership roles in his church. 

Clancy is survived by his wife, Connie; his children, Matthew Matsuda, Brandon, and Leilani (Takeshi) Komatsubara, Sakata, Japan; his grandchildren, Kohta and Kay Komatsubara; and his brother, Charles Matsuda, Kaneohe, Hawaii, and sister, Linda Kimura, Honolulu.

Clancy was preceded in death by his parents, Genyei and Miyo (Miyashiro) Matsuda; one sister, Lily; and two brothers, Wilfred, and Michael.

For online condolences, visit heartlandfunerals.com.