Shirley V. Tracy

Shirley Virginia Tracy, 79, of Westminster, Colorado, died April 12, 2017 at Columbine West Health and Rehab Facility in Fort Collins. She courageously faced Parkinson’s disease for many years while continuing to enjoy her life with family and friends. When she fell at home and broke her hip, the added strain of surgery and anesthesia became a struggle she couldn’t overcome.

Known as “Shirl” to many, she was born on November 29, 1937 in Denver, Colorado to Arthur and Dorothy (Gunnison) Krieger. Her brother Dave was born 15 years later, a thrill to Shirley and her teenaged friends. Shirley was a girl scout and made lifelong friends in her childhood community. Shirley, Dave, their parents and other family and friends vacationed on the Gunnison River, at Singleton, at Shadow Mountain Reservoir, and in Estes Park. They dreamed of having a family cabin of their own one day and saved coffee pots and dishes to stock it.

Shirley graduated from South High in Denver then attended Colorado State Teachers College in Greeley and earned her elementary teaching degree. In Belford Hall dormitory she met Janice Tracy. During a visit to the Tracy ranch and farm near Agate, Colorado, she was introduced to Robert (Bob) Tracy. Bob and Shirl struck up a romance and celebrated 48 happy years of marriage together (not bad out of 55, so goes the running joke).

Teaching elementary school, with a passion for the younger grades, Shirley was the breadwinner while Bob finished college. They bought a home on Alcott Street in Westminster in 1965 then welcomed their son Brian and daughter Teri. Both of Shirley’s children benefited from her integration of education with mothering. She resumed teaching for some years and she cherished the years she spent providing childcare for a local family and for her grandson Sam. She was a volunteer reader for a blind woman who became a friend, and she tutored English as a second language to high school students. Shirley and Bob brought the world into the family’s home by hosting five exchange students.

Shirley was active in parent organizations in District 50 schools. Shirley and Bob were active members of the Heels and Toes Square Dance club for many years. They enjoyed playing cards and other games with friends over the years. Camping in the Rockies was a primary summer pastime for the family, often shared with other families.

Shirley had an uncommon ability to make and maintain connections with people, including strong ties with both her family and Bob’s. She valued relationships with neighbors. She and Bob had opportunities to fulfill her dream of “seeing much, much more of the world and meeting people from many other places” by visiting friends and family in other areas of the country and the world. Bob and Shirl celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary with 13 members of the family on an Alaskan cruise.

Shirley also fulfilled the family dream of having a mountain cabin. She loved to sit by Deer Creek, watch the hummingbirds, and spend time there writing poetry and stories about life, friends, and family. A number of those friends and family made the trip for the day or weekend to relax in nature and enjoy Bob’s blueberry pancakes.

Shirley’s parents and parents-in-law predecease her. She is survived by her husband Bob, her son Brian (Shelley) and their children Hannah and Sam, her daughter Teri (Shane) and their children Olivia, Keston, and Tannis. She is also survived by her brother David Krieger (fiancée Diane Kandt), his sons David and Jared and their families, and her sister-in-law Janice (Norman) Carp, as well as many family members and friends who will miss her dearly.

The family would like to thank the expert and compassionate team at Columbine West for their dedication to Shirley’s care, as well as the team at Pathways Hospice for their support. Immediate family will gather this summer at the cabin to spread Shirley’s ashes.

Friends and family are welcome to honor and celebrate Shirley at The Butterfly Pavilion in Westminster on May 16, 2017 at 4pm. The memorial will begin with Mexican food from Rosita’s, one of Shirley’s favorites. Please visit www.allnutt.com to leave a note or memory to be shared at the service. Memorials to honor Shirley can be made to www.parkinsonrockies.org for Parkinson’s research, Pathways Hospice at www.pathways-care.org, or to www.hummingbirdsociety.org to help conserve these tiny creatures Shirley so dearly loved.