Obituary: Tracy, John P. Jr.
Age 92
March 2, 1920 - July 10, 2012
Dad was born March 2, 1920, in Spokane, WA to John P. Tracy Sr. (St. Paul, MN) and Iva Tracy (Wolpers - Red Wing, MN).
He was the second of 11 children - nine sisters and one brother.
Dad grew up in Hillyard and remained proud of those roots throughout his life.
Having very little by way of financial resources as a child, and sharing what they had with nine sisters and a brother, may explain his frugalness as well as his love of ketchup on everything.
It also explained his love of boxing, where he often took a beating, but always was successful in earning enough money for his effort to go to a dance later the same day.
Dad attended St. Ann Catholic Grade School and Gonzaga High School, where he graduated in 1938.
Following high school he tried college, soon lost interest, and in 1940 joined the National Guard.
World War ll kept him out of college for awhile longer, as the Army drafted him in 1942.
Dad served in the European Theatre landing first in Taranto Italy in 1944 and remaining until the war ended.
Following the war dad made the two best decisions in his life - In July 1945 he Married Kathryn (Kay) Joyce Snyder of Columbus, OH, and then re-enrolled at Gonzaga University where he earned his law degree in 1951.
Following law school dad practiced law for several years - unsuccessfully he would say.
In 1952, having two kids to feed (Jack and Sue) and one on the way (Tom) he jumped at a job as a claims adjuster for Northwest Casualty/Insurance in Wenatchee, WA and the company car it provided.
After a near fatal car accident near Leavenworth, WA, and several years of recovery and reconstructive surgery, he took a job back in Spokane as a Deputy Prosecutor for Spokane.
During this time he and mom also added two more kids to the brood (Chris and Mary).
Dad continued with the city, rising to the position of criminal prosecutor and later to that of Corporation Counsel for the City of Spokane.
In 1965 he left the city to take a position as a Trust Officer at Washington Trust Bank.
Again, dad rapidly rose through the ranks assuming the position of Sr. Vice President and head of the Trust Department.
Dad became a regionally recognized expert in taxation and estate planning until his retirement from WTB in 1985.
Personally dad was best known for a couple of things: Sunday drives and picnics with the family and without regard to the time of year or weather conditions (considered forced marches by his kids); Golf which he was modestly accomplished at, but always successful in completing a round in well under four hours without regard to the pace of those playing in front of him; Fishing where he was the envy of every Mackinaw fisherman at Loon Lake.
He prided himself with his terrible fishing gear and routinely took his grandkids out to catch a Mack simply to antagonize the lifelong fishermen who rarely if ever actually caught one of these monsters; and, Mom - he never left her side, often to her chagrin, but always with a love evident to everyone around them.
Dad is survived by Kay, his wife of 67 years; his five children, John P. Tracy lll (Mei Lei), Sue Young (Bruce), Tom Tracy (Colleen), Chris Koomler (Larry) and Mary Leatham Jensen (Tim); his 10 grandchildren Chelsea, Steven, Christie, Pat, Brianna, Jennifer, Lindsey, Brandon, Ben and Max; five sisters, Agnes Rogalski, Kay Johnson, Delores Gross, Margaret Watson and Cecelia Carpenter; and his brother Pat Tracy.
Dad’s rosary will be held at St. Thomas More Catholic Church, 505 W. St. Thomas More Way, Spokane, 99208 on Thursday, July 12, at 7 p.m. with a Funeral Mass at St. Thomas More on Friday, July 13, at 1 p.m. His burial will be at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake, WA immediately following the funeral.
Dad spent his last days with us at Hospice House of Spokane.
We can never thank them enough for helping us through this very difficult process and more importantly making his passing both spiritually and emotionally rewarding.
In lieu of flowers or remembrances, we encourage a contribution to Hospice House of Spokane in dad’s name.
SPOKANE CREMATION & FUNERAL SERVICE