Clancy Imislund was raised in a Norwegian Lutheran family in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. As a teenager, his response to the attack on Pearl Harbor was bold—he hitchhiked to San Francisco and joined the Merchant Marine, later serving in the Navy. It was during his time as a sailor that he first encountered whiskey, which temporarily helped him navigate life’s challenges.

After the war, Clancy returned home, married Charlotte, and enrolled in college. However, his drinking worsened, and nights in jail became increasingly frequent. Despite making—and breaking—numerous vows to change, his struggle persisted.

Following college, Clancy moved his family to Texas, where he built a career as an advertising executive in Dallas. In El Paso, he taught at Texas Western College while continuing to drink in Juarez, Mexico. He even directed the Grand Opera at the University of Texas in Austin. Although he held prestigious positions, Clancy’s recurring “spring in my gut”—a restlessness he described—often led him to lose them, turning the world from “Technicolor to black and white.” At one point, when Clancy failed to return from a grocery trip, Charlotte moved the children into a one-bedroom apartment to start over.

Eventually, Clancy made his way to Los Angeles, where he was ejected from the Midnight Mission, a downtown rescue mission. That very night, he walked into his first AA meeting. For a time, he lived in an abandoned car behind the meeting location. Gradually, he achieved sobriety and returned to advertising. After five years, the family reunited.

Clancy became a pillar of the recovery community—founding the Pacific AA Group, sponsoring countless individuals, and speaking wherever he was invited. In 1974, he returned to the Midnight Mission, this time as managing director, a remarkable full-circle moment. He also appeared in several films over the years in minor character roles.

Clancy passed away on August 24, 2020, at the age of 93, due to complications from COVID-19 while recovering from hip surgery. At the time of his death, he had maintained 62 years of continuous sobriety. His legacy continues to inspire and influence the global recovery community.

=========

For more information about this podcast, sponsorship, supporting our work (7th Tradition) or to contact us, please ⁠⁠⁠⁠visit our website at www.aapodcast.org⁠⁠⁠⁠.