Herbert Schacht
Waterford — On Aug. 10, 2017, Herbert Thomas Schacht died as peacefully as he had lived. He was 94 years old, an age which only a few weeks earlier he had cheerfully proclaimed to be “amazing.”
Herb dedicated his life to helping children and youth with special needs at the Waterford Country School, where he was affectionately known as “Uncle” Herb. The school’s motto, “Where Everybody is Somebody,” reflects his philosophy of life: each person deserves understanding, compassion, kindness, respect and an opportunity to be successful. Herb’s work continued the legacy of his parents, Henry and Ettie Schacht, who emigrated from Russia to New York City. Both were trained as teachers, and they started one of the nation’s first schools and summer camps specifically for children with special needs. The program expanded from Brooklyn, N.Y., into rural Connecticut, and eventually became the nonprofit Waterford Country School. Herb met Emily Capo — the woman who would become his wife — when Emily was hired as the summer camp nurse in 1951. Together they raised seven children and went on to cherish a brood of grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
In addition to his family and a life of helping the children entrusted to his care, Herb also devoted himself to his community. Herb was active in many professional and community organizations often in leadership roles, including the Waterford Historical Society, the Eugene O’Neill Theater, several volunteer fire departments, the Waterford Recreation and Parks Commission, and the regional Soil & Water Conservation District. He helped secure the land which became the Waterford Town Beach. In 1993, Herb was named the town of Waterford’s Citizen of the Year. Herb’s service on dozens of state and local committees, councils, boards and task forces earned him numerous awards and honors. During his honorable military service in The U.S. Army as a medical and surgical technician during World War II, Herb learned the importance of finding opportunities to make a situation better. He carried that attitude into his work and everyday life, and always looked for ways to be helpful. Herb was humble; he never wanted the spotlight. His humility is evidenced by the fact that his own children hadn’t known about the multitude of honors and awards Herb had received over his lifetime until his records were compiled for a Veteran’s Hall of Fame service award nomination, which Herb was awarded in 2012, earning him a place in the Veteran’s Hall of Fame. After retiring from more than three decades as executive director of the Waterford Country School, Herb remained active in volunteer work with programs aimed at alleviating AIDS in Africa, developing a child adoption service in Guatemala, and, as a SCORE counselor, helping small businesses get off the ground.
Throughout his life, Herb was a conservationist and steward of the environment. Instead of developing his land, Herb farmed, planted trees, fed deer and wild turkeys, and invited Boy Scout Troops to camp and hold jamborees. Herb derived joy and meaning from growing organic vegetables (and giving them away), fishing, milking cows, and stacking firewood. The natural world was Herb’s church, and he summarized his deep connection simply as: “I see God in a blade of grass.”
In his later years, when he could no longer enjoy the manual labor of his garden, Herb enjoyed feeding the birds in his backyard, eating a bowl of Emily’s homemade chicken soup, reading a book that he purchased for 25 cents at a yard sale, and sitting at his desk sorting through and organizing decades of memorabilia.
Herb touched countless hearts and he will be deeply missed by many people. Herb is survived by his wife of 65 years, Emily; and their children, Thomas Schacht and wife, Reta Robbins, of Tennessee, Eileen Degaetano of Connecticut, Barbara Schacht Randall of Australia, Debbie Schacht Piacenza and husband, David Chandler, of Connecticut, Dd Schacht and husband, David Knox, of North Carolina, Pam Schacht Lewis of Connecticut, and Robert Schacht and wife, Teresa Schacht, of Connecticut.
Herb’s inspiring legacy of devotion to the holistic care of children and youth lives on at Waterford Country School. Friends and family are invited to a celebration of Herb’s Life and Legacy to be held at 2 p.m. Dec. 9, 2017, at the Waterford Country School.
In lieu of flowers, contributions to the Herb Schacht Memorial Fund may be made to the Waterford Country School, 78 Hunts Brook Road, Quaker Hill, CT 06375.