Doris Jean Tracey, 87, passed away on July 14, 2018. Doris was born on May 2, 1931 in Oklahoma City, OK to Calvin and Velma (Loy) Deal. Due to losing her mother at a very young age to Typhoid Fever, Doris was raised in The Blinn House Girls Home in Oklahoma City for most of her childhood and throughout her teenage years into adulthood. Doris learned many valuable life lessons while at the girls home and frequently spoke highly of her upbringing there. While there, she also helped raise her sisters, Betty and Faye. As an adult, Doris went back to The Blinn House, working as a cook, to give back to a place that she admired so much. Doris believed every child was worthy of love and you could not love a child too much. Doris married Arthur Charles Tracey, Jr on November 17th, 1951 and together they proudly raised their three children; Michael, Stephen, and Marilyn Tracey, in Del City, Oklahoma. Doris and “Junior” had a second home at Sam’s Point Lake Eufaula in Canadian, OK where they created many lasting and wonderful memories with their children, grandchildren, siblings, and countless other friends and family. Doris and “Junior” were married for 40 years and remained in their home in Del City until his death in 1992. Doris was the Service Manager for Britton Brothers Napa Auto Parts for more than 20 years before she retired to their lake home at Canadian, OK in 1993. Doris enjoyed retired life and easily transitioned back into the role of caring for others. Doris was very active at the Senior Citizens Center cooking meals and planning activities for the community. In 2008, after managing the Senior Center for more than 10 years, Doris received a Community Service Award for her tireless work in the community. While managing the Senior Center Doris met and befriended Mr. Clyde Briggs, who ultimately became her lifelong companion for over 20 years until his death in 2014. There is nothing more Doris loved than cooking a meal for her family and friends, and sometimes even a stranger! She lovingly invited everyone into her home and made them feel instantly welcome. Each year on Memorial Day she prepared a huge fish fry that eventually became a community event that many family members and friends looked forward to every year. Every Sunday, she would have “Sunday Coffee” in her home which consisted of a full breakfast with homemade biscuits and gravy. There were times that so many would come to her house for breakfast people would sit down and eat in shifts. Cooking was truly a passion of Doris’. She even fed all of the wildlife around her home! She had a “pet” squirrel that would come to the door and “knock” when he was ready for her to give him a treat. She would say she feeds the squirrels and every other living thing. Doris was a member of the “Birthday Girls” group which consisted of a group of her girl friends that would get together each month to celebrate each other’s birthdays as well as many other social outings. Doris genuinely loved each of her friends dearly and looked forward to getting together with them on a regular basis to laugh and carry on. Doris continued to stay active with “Birthday Girls” until her death. Doris was also long time member of the First Baptist Church in Canadian, OK. Doris was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Arthur C Tracey Jr.; Daughter, Marilyn Tracey; longtime companion, Clyde Briggs; siblings, Michael Deal, Wanda Faye Dahl, and Betty Hopkins; step-brothers, Troy Goss and James Goss; and step-sister, Zora Wheeler. Survivors include her children, Michael Tracey and wife Cindy of Burkburnett, TX, and Stephen Tracey of Canadian, OK; grandchildren, Lori Williams of Burburnett, TX, David Tracey and wife Jennifer of Wichita Falls, TX, Anita Konkler and husband Chris of Shawnee, OK, Angela Holland and husband Wes of Harrah, OK, Erin Decker of Harrah, OK, Melissa Tracey of OKC, and Travis Tracey of OKC; 14 great-grandchildren; 4 great-great grandchildren; step-sister, Connie Kirby of OKC; brother-in-law, Ronnie Tracey and wife Norma of OKC; and numerous other family members and friends who will miss her dearly. A funeral service will be held at 10:00 a.m., Wednesday, July 18, 2018 at Bill Eisenhour Northeast Chapel with interment to follow at Arlington Memory Gardens.
