Del attended the University of Colorado, Boulder where he earned a B.A.in Chemistry in 1963. He then attended graduate school at Arizona State University, Tempe, where he was awarded a PhD in Organic Chemistry in 1970. Following graduate school, Del completed postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Georgia, Athens in 1969-71 and at the University of Oklahoma, Norman in 1971-73. In 1973,

Del settled in Tempe, AZ, where he worked at the Cancer Research Institute with Professor G. Robert Pettit at Arizona State University for 33 years, beginning as a Research Chemist and X-ray Crystallographer and retiring as Research Professor in 2006. When Del was presented with a new crystalline substance, he would use x-ray crystallography to determine its structure which would allow its subsequent synthesis and possibility for study as an anticancer agent. Del was co-author with Dr. Pettit on 75 research publications and he co-authored 8 others from earlier post-doctoral studies.

In his youth, Del enjoyed hiking, backpacking, and hunting, often taking trips into the wilderness of Arizona and Colorado. He was a big college football fan, having season tickets to ASU football games.

He was preceded in death by his parents Delbert and Inez Herald, Sr., and three sisters. Del is survived by his wife of over 57 years Cherry Lou, a son and daughter-in-law, a daughter and son-in-law, three grandchildren and three nieces and one nephew. 

There will be no formal funeral services. Memorial donations may be made in Delbert's name to Hospice of the Valley, 1510 E. Flower St. Phoenix, AZ 85014 Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.resthavencarrtenney.com for the Herald family.