James Henry Tracey

James Henry Tracey (Jim) passed away Wednesday, August 7th, 2024, at 89 years old. His wife of 65 years, Fay (Sherman) Tracey, was at his side at their home in Castle Pines, Colorado. Jim was born in Farley, Iowa, October 6th, 1934, to Hugh and Irene (Becker) Tracey.

Jim led an impressive life starting with hard work on the family farm. During the Korean War, he joined the U.S. Army where he showed an aptitude for electronics. This led to enrolling in Electrical Engineering at Iowa State University. He took time to return to Farley and attend dances in Dubuque and the surrounding area where he met, danced with, and fell in love with his future wife, Fay Sherman. In Ames, Iowa, Jim was awarded a BS, MS, and PhD, in addition to working summer jobs at Interstate Power, GE, Aerospace, Collins Radio, Boeing, and IBM.

He arrived in Rolla, Missouri, in 1964 as an Associate Professor, at University of Missouri, Rolla (Missouri University of Science and Technology); eventually becoming a full professor and revealing his love of teaching. It was not only engineering he taught—all his children sat next to him on the piano bench too, soaking in his love of music. The by ways of Missouri also allowed him to explore his love of the outdoors through hiking, caving, and canoeing.

In 1975 this brave man from small town mid-America took his wife and four children on sabbatical to live in Eindhoven, Holland. They arrived with wide-legged seersucker pants, leisure suits, white belts and shoes, and set Europe on its ear. Many European universities had asked Jim to come teach at their institutions so he visited and guest lectured throughout the continent for the year and a half they lived there. The experience sparked what would become a life time of travelling the globe.

After returning to the United States, Jim became a professor at Kansas State University and Department Head of Electrical Engineering. He obtained his certification of Professional Engineer. In Manhattan, Kansas, Jim and Fay taught Engaged Encounter through the Catholic Church.

Jim was named Dean of Colleges of Science and Engineering in 1982 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. There he was able to gain autonomy for the branch of University of Colorado in Colorado Springs and begin a PhD program, working closely with the military bases in the area. Nothing tempts someone from the office like the mountains and Jim hiked all over the front range, including climbing Pikes Peak more than once.

Even though all of Jim’s children also ended up in Colorado, he was called to continue his career as Dean of Colleges of Science and Engineering at the University of Texas in San Antonio. Like in Colorado Springs, he was able to gain campus autonomy and a PhD program for San Antonio in addition to building a bioscience research center. With no mountains in Texas he rode his bike instead, all over the San Antonio region and Texas Hill country.

Jim thought he was ready to retire in San Antonio but a nation-wide search and a $100 million donation beckoned him to fill the role of Founding Dean of Engineering at Rowan University in New Jersey. There he built an engineering building, teaching team, state-of-the-art labs, and program in tandem with the many large industries in the region. From the east coast airports the nooks and crannies of the rest of the world was easily reached and Jim and Fay went nearly everywhere. When the first engineering class graduated from Rowan University in 2000, Jim hung up his regalia and retired. After a few more years of biking the east coast and easy plane rides, Fay persuaded him to move back to Colorado where the grandkids were.

His oldest daughter, Lynne Tracey (Perry Worthing), has two girls Meagan Tracey and Kristina Worthing. His daughter, Laura Haber (Dave Haber), also has two girls Danielle (Cody Derner) and Kara (Dirk Macdonald), and a son Kevin (Caroline). Jim’s son, Greg (Robin McKinney) died in 2020. Jim’s youngest daughter is Lisa Tracey (Will Carter).

He was blessed with great grandchildren Blakely and Ashtyn Derner, Jaxson and Kendall Haber, and Nora Macdonald.

He is also survived by his brother John (Elaine) of Iowa and sister Margie (Dick Phillips) of Texas. His sister, Carol Fuhs, preceded him in death.

Jim was famous among family and friends for his great sense of humor and quick smile. The smile was often accompanied by a distinct twinkle in his eye. If he were not so honest and deeply respected one might have wondered what he could have been up to. He had an uncanny ability to put people at ease and he and his wife were well known for their welcoming hospitality. Though his fingers often seemed impossibly big for the piano keys, the tunes and rich baritone begged one to join in. He will be missed beyond measure.