Gladys P. Tracy
June 4, 1917 – December 12, 2018
Gladys Pearl Tracy, a longtime Moses Lake resident, passed away on Wednesday, Dec. 12, 2018 at the age of 101 at home surrounded by family. Friends may call at the Kayser’s Chapel for viewing Wednesday, Dec. 19 from 3 until 7 p.m. Private family burial will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 22 at Pioneer Memorial Gardens. Arrangements are in care of Kayser’s Chapel and Crematory, Moses Lake. Please sign the online quest book and share a memory with family at www.kayserschapel.com.
Gladys P. Tracy was born June 4, 1917 at home on their family farm outside of Webster, Iowa. She was the first child of Edgar J. and Pearl E. Dillon, followed by younger brothers Frank and Robert. They grew with both sets of grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins farming close by. When she graduated from high school, she took the job of school teacher at the White Pigeon Country School teaching grades 1-8 for two years. When she decided to attend college, her father paid for her first year’s tuition to the University of Iowa with four cows. She originally majored in music but switched to nursing. She worked as a nanny, painted the interiors of houses and school rooms and did other odd jobs to pay her way through school. She met her future husband and life partner Harold Tracy while on a blind date when he was in medical school. Gladys graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in the spring of 1942 from the University of Iowa and enlisted in the Army Nursing Corps. She married Harold on a weekend in St. Louis, Mo. on Oct. 17, 1942. She couldn’t tell anyone in the Army that she was married because it would have been grounds for discharge. Mom was honorably discharged, as a second lieutenant, in the fall of 1943 when she had to tell the Army she was married and pregnant with Larry.
Gladys used her nursing skills to volunteer for the American Red Cross and care for her seven children. She was active in the Moses Lake Presbyterian Church once they moved to Moses Lake in 1949. Her other activities included being in Cub Scouts as a den mother, the PTA and the Salvation Army Board (ringing the bell each Christmas in front of the stores and taking kids to summer camp), an active member of PEO Chapter ER with several of her dear friends, a member of DAR Chapter Karneetsa and a founder and member of Community Concert. She baked pies (especially cherry) for Rotary Club Fund Raisers, hosted fiive foreign exchange students through the Moses Lake Rotary Club, knitted 100-150 mittens for 7-8 years up until four years ago (she hated to think of kids having cold hands after walking to school herself during Iowa winters) as well as Christmas stockings for all the kids, grandkids, and great-grandkids, traveled the world with Harold and was active in the Republican Party.
Gladys had an amazing musical talent, which enabled her to hear a tune and play it “by ear” on the piano or organ without printed music. Gladys believed education was important for all. She was a devout Christian, who internalized Christ’s teaching and showed in her daily actions throughout her life. Up until three years ago, she read her Bible front to back three times a year. She never criticized other people for their beliefs and preferred to show caring and acceptance for others. She lived her life with joy and gratitude for everyone she met, and especially all the people she grew to know dearly in Moses Lake. She has left all her family and friends with a great example to follow on how to live life.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Dr. Harold L. Tracy, M.D. and son Kenneth D. Tracy. She is survived by her children Larry and Nancy Tracy, Ronald and Bennie Tracy, Barbara Tracy and Jay VanSant, Robert and Virginia Tracy, Steven and Camilla Tracy, Trish Tracy and Donald Tracy; 16 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Moses Lake Presbyterian Church. 1142 Ivy St. Moses Lake, WA 98837; Big Bend Community College Foundation – Dr. Harold and Gladys Tracy Nursing Scholarship Fund 7662 Chanute St, N.E., Moses Lake, WA 98837; Salvation Army 212 S. Alder St., Moses Lake, WA 98837; Assured Hospice 1417 S. Pioneer Way, Moses Lake, WA. 98837.