Lawrence (Larry) Lee Tracy

March 10, 1944 –June 14, 2023.

Larry Tracy, 79, passed away at home on June 14, 2023. A lifelong resident of Moses Lake, he loved his family, friends, animals – especially cats – practicing law, music, driving and collecting antiques and artifacts.

Lawrence Lee Tracy was born in Iowa on March 10, 1944, to Dr. Harold and Gladys Tracy. He was the oldest of their seven children, followed 17 months later by his brother Ron. After their dad returned from service in Okinawa, the family moved to Eastern Washington in 1946 where he finished his residency in Spokane, then to LaCrosse, Washington. Their sister Barbara was born during those years. By 1949 they moved to Moses Lake, where they remained and the rest of the Tracy siblings were born. Larry was the quintessential big brother of the family.

Larry attended Moses Lake public schools and graduated from Moses Lake High School in 1962. He was a star athlete in baseball and basketball. As pitcher for the MLHS baseball team he threw over a dozen no-hitters and was captain of the basketball team for two years. Larry first attended college at the University of Washington in Seattle where he pledged into the Sigma Nu fraternity, though he eventually transferred and graduated from WSU in 1967, majoring in Economics. He married Kathy McFarlane (the two had been dating since high school) before heading off to law school at the University of Oregon in Eugene.

It was in Eugene that their first daughter Paige was born in 1971. Upon completing his Juris Doctorate, the family returned to Moses Lake, where Amber was born in 1973. Larry was employed by the law firm Ries and Kenison. He eventually started his own law firm where he specialized in bankruptcy. He served as the attorney for the Port of Warden and Moses Lake. He also served a term on the Moses Lake City Council.

Larry and Kathy divorced in 1987. He married Judy Graff, adding to the family daughters Brandee and Dacquiri, and grandson Jett. It was during this time that Larry began a private law practice, where he practiced until January of 2023. Larry and Judy were avid antique collectors, acquiring and managing several residential property rentals and devoted to their fur family until Judy’s death in 2008.

Larry married Nancy (Mo) Cook in 2010, blending their families to include her three sons Chris, Quincy and Brady, their spouses, and more grandchildren. They enjoyed traveling to the Phoenix area together in the first few years of their marriage and later settled into a quiet life at their country home outside of Moses Lake.

Dad was known for his dry sense of humor, colorful language and attention to detail. If you sat quietly and asked the right questions, his storytelling would unfold in deliberate detail – all of which was true; he didn’t need to embellish or fabricate. He was exceedingly knowledgeable about local history, especially Native American, early settlers and the landscape. His interest in antiques and artifacts was a reflection of his regard for people and their stories. He could talk about topics such as water rights and irrigation in Eastern Washington in such a way that it was fascinating, because he understood and conveyed how every aspect of life is interdependent. It is the understatement of a lifetime to say that he worked hard to help people and the world is a better place because of him. We are devastated to lose him and honored to be part of his legacy.

He is survived by his wife Nancy Tracy of Moses Lake; siblings Ron Tracy (Bennie Jordan), Barbara Tracy (Jay VanSant), Bob Tracy (Ginny), Steve Tracy (Cam), Ken Tracy’s widow Trish and Don Tracy (Joan); children Paige Tracy (Chris Zaur), Amber Tracy, Dacquiri Graff, Brandee Graff Wolfe (James), Chris Cook (Ashley), Quincy Cook (Alexia) and Brady Cook; 21 grandchildren; two great-grandchildren; and many nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Dr. Harold and Gladys Tracy, wife Judy Tracy, brother Ken Tracy and many favorite pets, notably Catface, China, and Charmer.

A celebration of life will be held at 2 p.m. on July 1, 2023, at Best Western Plus Lakefront Hotel (the old Hallmark Inn), 3000 W. Marina Drive, Moses Lake. Donations can be made to Grant County Animal Outreach Building Fund, established at Columbia Basin Foundation, 101 Basin Street, Ephrata WA, 98823.

There will also be an option to attend remotely. For a Zoom invitation, email larrytracymemorialservice@gmail.com.