Tracey Renee Lapka

With heavy hearts, we share the unexpected passing of our beloved Tracey Renee Lakpa. She left this world on February 18, 2026, at the age of 29, leaving behind a void that can never be filled. Her departure has left us with a deep sense of loss and profound sadness.

Tracey Renee Lakpa was born on April 16, 1996, in Valparaiso, Indiana. She is survived by her mother, Sharon Crandall (Troy); her father, Denis Lakpa; her sister and best friend, Kasey (Lapka) Wheeler; and her little brother, Justin Crandall.

Above all, Tracey was proud to be a mother. She is survived by her only son, the one who made her a mom, Jaxon Christopher Scinella (12 years old); her first daughter and “mini me,” Malaya Eleanor Ryan (2 years old); and her biggest surprise, her twin daughters, Harper Blythe and Renezmae Patricia (1 year old).

She also leaves behind her first nephew, the one who made her a TT, Noah Wheeler; her one and only niece, Breckyn Wheeler; and her two youngest nephews, Kaizen Jay Crandall and Raiden Leander Crandall.

She was preceded in death by her great-great-grandmother, Mildred Theres; her great-grandmother, Patricia Eleanor Crandall (Theres); her great-grandfather, DuWayne Crandall; her grandmother, Donna Crandall (Spry); her grandfather, William Valentine Crandall; her brother-in-law, Travis Wheeler; and her beloved dog, Lulu.

Tracey took immense pride in being a mom and a TT. She loved her “babies,” as she affectionately called her children, niece, and nephews, who owned her entire heart.

Tracey was a woman of disarming wit and, even more, dangerous charm. She was known for her spirited opinions and vocabulary that could make a sailor blush. She often reminded the world that politeness was just another word for boring. Tracey never met a rule she could not break or a stranger she could not turn into a friend.

Tracey was too beautiful for this Earth, and though she is no longer physically with us, she walks beside us every day in memory and in spirit. There will not be a day that passes that she is not thought of and deeply missed.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Chapel Hill Gardens South Funeral Home, 11333 South Central Ave, Oak Lawn, IL 60453, on March 2, 2026, from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.