Lessons From Tracy

Earlier this month, I lost my beautiful friend Tracy to melanoma. Tracy and I met in the late 1990s through a mutual friend, and over the years, we shared the ups and downs of professional life, family dynamics, and travel adventures. Tracy was a person whose life radiated outward, continually widening her circle and bringing friends together across interests and geographies.

Tracy was deeply loved, as witnessed by the countless people from near and far who supported her throughout her battle with cancer. I loved her for her silly sense of humor, boundless curiosity, and desire for adventure. While her death is a loss, her life added so much to mine. Without trying, she taught me many things that I will carry with me and hope to pass along to others.  

What is a legacy? It’s planting seeds in a garden you never get to see.

Alexander Hamilton, from Hamilton

First, I learned from Tracy how to notice beauty, the way she did with Gerber daisies, with the arts, and with spaces she curated so thoughtfully. She was one of the first to see Hamilton when it arrived in Chicago, inviting friends to join her when she bought a single ticket. Her love of beauty and sense of style extended to the beautiful homes she had made for herself in the places she lived over the years. And her love of Ina Garten’s cozy elegance made an invitation to Tracy’s for a dinner party a truly memorable experience. Thanks to Tracy, I try to move through my days with eyes open, ready to experience beauty.

Second, I also learned generosity from Tracy. She modeled the steady, intentional kind that shows up where it’s needed. She enthusiastically supported Habitat for Humanity, bringing other women along in her efforts. She was also a tireless supporter for St. Colletta’s, the home for disabled adults where her older sister lived for thirty years. And when Tracy invited a group of friends to join her at a kitty rescue fundraiser she helped organize for Precious Pets, her passion for the cause extended to her self-deprecating mention of how we could watch her, ‘go bonkers over cat toys.’ Tracy showed how giving isn’t an obligation but a way of expanding your life.

Finally, maybe the deepest lesson she left me with is how love expands. Tracy built community everywhere she went, showing me and others that love can be shared and grows. Her relationship with her husband Doug didn’t just add joy; it expanded her circle again, bringing new family, new friends, new adventures. All evidence of a life that touched others in ways that endure. Love is the clearest proof of Tracy’s significance, and I will carry this lesson with me always.