Donald LeRoy Tracy

Donald LeRoy Tracy, age 92, from Kansas City, KS passed away peacefully with his children by his side on April 4th 2025. Don was born at Menorah Hospital in Kansas City, MO on August 8, 1932. He was a lifelong resident of Kansas City, KS and lived in the same home with his wife Shirley for 65 years.

Don started working when he was 10 years old. In grade school he worked for the school janitor sweeping and cleaning bathrooms. On Saturdays he sold the Saturday Evening Post door to door. He also worked at the local grocery store. At age 12 he worked at Lloyd’s Drug Store on the pharmacy side delivering medicine on his bike through his three years of junior high school. During high school he moved to the soda fountain side working every night and weekends. Don later went to work full time for Roy Knapp Dry Cleaners as a delivery man. Don graduated from Wyandotte High School in 1950. After graduation, he went to work for General Motors for about a year and then moved to the service department of Kritzler Studebaker. He went to the US Army for two years in the First Infantry Division (The Big Red One). He was stationed in Ft. Riley in Kansas and Fort Hood in Texas and then was sent to Erlangen, Germany. In the army he was a gunner on a 155mm Howitzer and then moved to the Fire Direction Center until he was honorably discharged. Don went back to Studebaker after the army but left to go work with Don Tallman, his best friend, as an apprentice body man. Don later went to work at Chuck’s Body Shop but rejoined Don Tallman at Tallman’s Auto Body. After several months, Don left in 1964 to start his own shop, Tracy’s Auto Body on Minnesota Ave in Kansas City KS. During several of those years he sponsored little league baseball and football teams known as the Tracy’s Raiders. In 1975 Don became a private pilot and owned two planes. He said flying was one of his most rewarding experiences. In 1988 at the age of 55 Don retired from the auto body business. He and Shirley enjoyed retirement and loved to travel to Las Vegas and to see their grandchildren. They enjoyed Kolo dancing and bowling. Don did work part-time doing some insurance damage appraising for 3 years. He also bought a tow truck and towed cars for the salvage pool. In 1993 he rejoined Don Tallman again as a partner in Alandon Tow Service. When Tallman left, in 2001 Don’s son joined him as his new partner. In 2010 he retired again at the age of 77.

Donald was the oldest of three children born to LeRoy Bruce and Wilma Katherine (Wagner) Tracy. He married Shirley Ann Jackson on August 16, 1953. Don was preceded in death by his parents, his loving wife Shirley and his sister Judy Keltner. Survivors are his sister Nancy (Tracy) Bash, his son Donald Bruce Tracy and wife Dalene of Kansas City, MO, daughter Linda Kae Feurer and husband Forrest of Parkville, MO. Four grandchildren: Troy Tracy and wife Stephanie of Bozeman, Montana, Tyler Tracy of Salt Lake City, Utah, Emalee Tracy of Kansas City, MO and Katie Feurer of Riley, KS. Two great grandchildren, Parker and Hayes Tracy and one additional great grandchild on the way.

Visitation will be Saturday, April 26th 2025 at Chapel Hill-Butler Funeral in Kansas City, KS. Visitation will be from 9 to 11 am with services immediately following at 11 am. In lieu of flowers please donate to St. Michael's Veterans Center, Inc. 3818 Chelsea Drive, Kansas City, Missouri 64128.