Nancy Kaia Tracy
June 17, 1932-June 23, 2017
Woodside, CA

Nancy Kaia Tracy passed away peacefully in her Woodside home surrounded by family on June 23rd, 2017.

Nancy was born on June 17, 1932 to Lillian and Harold E. Anderson and younger brother Michael. She grew up in an apartment on the shore of Lake Michigan in Evanston Illinois, graduating in 1953 with a degree in Education from Northwestern University.

Nancy eventually came west for a teaching position in California and was coaxed to attend a dance at Stanford University, where she met Rufus Avery Tracy III and they were married on April 13, 1957. In 1958 she and Rufus built what is still their home on the “hill” in Woodside California. There they raised their three kids, two grandsons, and had a multitude of pets, hosted visitors, exchange students, held many gatherings, including her daughter’s wedding.

Her home was always effortlessly open to welcome friends and family for a quick cup of tea, lunch on the patio or gathering for a family dinner that she seemed to effortlessly cook – always including a homemade desert. If you stopped by, you were always invited to stay for supper.

Nancy’s true gift was that she naturally wove into all aspects of her life the unspoken ability to create a wonderful community spirit in her home, neighborhood, work and activities. If you were new to the neighborhood, Nancy would stop by and soon host a gathering for you to meet other neighbors.

As the “Hill” community grew and families settled – Nancy was quick to host beautiful birthdays, anniversaries, wedding and baby showers so we could all celebrate the latest neighbor or family milestone.

Rufus and Nancy become known for their annual 4th of July parties, which were wonderful, bustling, potluck events in their front yard. She never worried about how many guests would come, only that she might have forgotten someone.

It was a chance to catch up with the hill neighbors among homemade dishes and red checkered table cloths. In the middle of it all was Nancy—making everyone welcome to this unique hillside community. When her children were young, Nancy was a substitute teacher at Portola Valley Schools. Later she was a preschool teacher at Ladera Community Preschool.

She was a lifelong member of P.E.O, served as Chapter president and was a regular volunteer at the “Nearly New” charity store in San Jose.

When her kids left the house, she reclaimed her incredible talent as an artist soon working as a graphic designer/production manager at local design firms and eventually taking painting and drawing classes at Cañada College until eventually working full time for the East Bay Regional Park District.

She was quick to tell you that she was a slow worker and chuckle that she was always trying to “learn” the new software technologies now part of her trade, but Nancy’s gift for design and her artistic talent was eye-catching and worth the wait.

Her talent for design, for taking something simple and keeping it understated and yet making it remarkable was a skill recognized not only in her career, but in the way she decorated her home, set a table for a party or even wrapped a gift. She loved anything to do with arts and culture, especially going to the opera and was always looking for an excuse to visit the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, MOMA or the Cantor Art Museum at Stanford.

Retiring from EBRPD, Nancy revived her painting and drawing artistry working in the studio of artist Ann Hogle and Kit Colman, and the Woodside Plein Air Painters with her daughter Jane.

Nancy was an amazing wife of 60 years to Rufus. The two were a pair. Although raised in a 3rd floor apartment outside of busy Chicago, she quickly acclimated to Rufus’s love for exploring the outdoors—always headed well off the beaten path. Rufus lead the planning on what became annual backpacking and 4-wheel drive exploration trips throughout the mountains of the Sierras, the deserts of Nevada and the deep canyons of Utah—and Nancy was right by his side.

Even in the early years with three small children (in cloth diapers no less), the family explored many remote, beautiful places that have now become family favorites. As kids grew up, the Tracy family trips quickly became larger group events as Nancy was always inviting others to join them.

Knowing that Rufus took his itinerary very seriously, Nancy was quick to change her pace for the slower, new hiker and chatter along the trail so the often long hike and heavy pack would soon be forgotten. These annual trips soon included a rotating group of regular family and friends, and Nancy saw to it that on each trip we became a tight knit group of explorers, getting to know each other on the trail, sharing food and stories and building memorable experiences together amidst the backdrop of nature’s solitude.

It was Nancy who made these trips much more than a map and a trail. She was known for bringing along more items in the packed Toyota than Rufus would have liked, as she always incorporated a cultural project or experience to share. She especially enjoyed bringing pioneer crafts and art projects for her grandchildren who soon joined the trips. Nancy was an incredible wife, mother, neighbor, friend and Nana and her loss is felt deeply by her family and community. She took loving care of her mother Lillian until her death at age 102. She led her family with strength and an optimistic and positive attitude second to none.

She created and kept family traditions, and showered her three children: Jane Tracy, John Tracy and wife Jessica Rose, and Sara Tracy, and grandchildren: Andrew Tracy and wife Emily, Alexandra and Caitlin Watt, Allison, Emma and Spencer Tracy and Jake Tracy, with love.

Tags: arts/media, teacher/educator