Obituary of Don Tracy

Tracy, Don of Bloomington, a friend to everyone he met, died Sunday morning, Sept. 11, at the Edina Care Center. He was 82. Don struggled with the effects of emphysema for a long period and spent the last few months of his life in hospice care at the Edina facility. A staff member commented that "Don must have a lot of friends because he sure has a lot of visitors." A descendent of Dakota Territory pioneers, Don Winslow Tracy was born at the family home in Pollock, SD, Feb. 28, 1934, one of the seven children of Milton (Pat) and Vivian (Rhone) Tracy. He attended Pollock schools where he participated in all sports and virtually every other activity. He was editor of the town's 50th anniversary book, "Vallock and Community Book, 1901-1951." He was the senior class president and represented the school at Boy's State. A 6-man football standout, Don once won a malt for every member of the starting lineup by scoring six touchdowns in one game. Following graduation in 1952, he attended Northern State College for a year on a football scholorship before Joining the U. S. Air Force. During his four years in the Air Force, Don mostly served as a cryptologist at a base in northern Japan. He was involved in messaging with the Soviets when a Northwest airliner strayed over Soviet territory and helped relay information from American spy-plane flights over the Soviet Union. After his air force service he returned to Northern on the G.I. Bill where he earned bachelor and masters degrees. In the fall of 1962 he began teaching business classes at Pollock High School. He also was assistant football coach and assistant drama director. While teaching he was president of the local JCs and earlier was a founder of the Pollock Pickle Growers Assn. After three years at Pollock he taught for an additional year at Storden, MN. Don met Susan Woodward while at Northern State. They married in Watertown, SD, May 31, 1964, and made their home in Bloomington and Minneapolis, where they raised five foster children. Their home was always open to friends and acquaintances needing temporary housing. They divorced but remained lifelong friends. After leaving the teaching profession, Don was manager of the accounting department at Donaldson's department store for seven years. Don then joined college friend Dick Wik at Burgess Publishing and Burgess-Beckwith copy services. He worked in sales and customer service as well as being a custom publications editor. He traveled extensively in the Midwest and East and lived for a time in Baltimore and St. Louis. He distinguished himself from other publishers reps with his personality and a Tootsie Roll for everyone. He was the company's Salesman of the Year several times. He retired in 1993. Always generous to everyone with his time and gregarious spirit, Don's passion turned to helping others following retirement. For more than 20 years, first with Sandy Mavity and later with Sue Tracy, he was caretaker and friend to special needs adults Bob Hall (deceased) and Glenn Rauenhorst as well as many others needing temporary shelter. Don told visitors during his last weeks that he had only two regrets: smoking and missing the chance to vote for Hillary Clinton. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his stepmother, Stella; brother Pat and wife, Loretta; and sisters Linda Tracy and Carol and husband, Marvin Schumacher. He is survived by his former wife, Susan Woodward Tracy; mother-in-law, Willa Austin; sister-in-law Judi Woodward Heiman (Tim); brothers and wives Lee and Alyce and Jerry and Jo; sister Jean (Irv Hanson); nieces and nephews Paula May, Marcy Brust, Joni Griess, Tracy Jurgens, Robin Schumacher, Leslie Ellis, Micki Klein, Kelly Tracy, Tim Tracy, Becky Versteeg, Derrick Tracy and Nate Tracy; and foster children Norma and Annette King, Mark and Donna Schriever and David White. Cremation was at the Cremation Society of Minnesota. An open house celebration of Don's life will be held at a later date. Interment will follow at Spring Creek Cemetery, Pollock, SD. (For celebration information contact dontracy82@gmail.com.) Memorials preferred to Minneapolis VA Hospital volunteers at minneapolis.va.gov/giving/ (612-725-2050), your area VA volunteers or the charity of your choice.