Carol A. Tracey

Carol A. Tracey, 81, of Bloomfield, NJ, passed away peacefully at her home on Friday, March 15, 2024, in the company of loved ones. Carol was a gentle, big-hearted soul with a huge, memorable laugh and an abiding interest in everyone who crossed her path — along with their stories. She was generous and silly and a great listener and tremendously loyal to the large group of friends and family in orbit around her for all these years. We will all miss her and forever marvel at the way in which she faced her struggle with cancer for so long with optimism, grace, and even a bit of humor.

Born in Brooklyn and throughout her whole life a resident of New York and New Jersey (with the accent to match), she worked as an accountant and bookkeeper for many years.

Carol was fortunate enough to meet the love of her life, Richard Tracey, in time to spend more than forty years with him — along with the huge assortment of eccentric family members he brought with him and who she lovingly claimed as her own. She loved cooking for friends and family, traveling to the beach in Cape May — a tradition for many years — or searching for birds with Rich at the Great Swamp. She would often pretend to get lost both to increase the odds of finding some hidden gems and also to indulge her husband’s fruitless dream of being good with directions. She loved painting and crafts and puzzles (especially Scrabble!) and crocheting. Carol leaves behind many homemade gifts for her granddaughters, nieces, nephews and cousins galore, as well as many, many Hummels, owls, and other creatures of varied origin.

She was a great sport and over the years belonged to a bowling club (Rich reports they bowled together as a couple exactly once, so badly was he beaten), spent a short time learning to jog, and even played a single tennis match with her husband.

Over the years Carol would take the train to Florida to go to Disney World, delight in going to concerts from Bruce Springsteen and Paul Simon, and make everyone around her feel loved. She loved cats and puppies in spite of her allergies and was a lifelong fan of Disney animation and musicals.

Carol is survived by her husband Richard, her son Carl and his wife Debby and granddaughters Victoria and Alexandra, as well a vast collection of extended family members.

A memorial visitation will be held on Tuesday, March 19, 2024 from 4-8pm at Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 145 E. Mount Pleasant Ave., Livingston, NJ. A funeral mass will be celebrated for Carol on Wednesday, March 20, 2024 at 10:30am at St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church located at 44 Benvenue Ave., West Orange, NJ.

Carol's family asks that in lieu of flowers, donations be shared with the American Cancer Society at https://donate.cancer.org