Obituary of James David Tracy

James David Tracy, 74, of Tucson, AZ, passed away on March 22, 2024. He was born on November 19, 1949 in Hutchinson, MN to the late Clinton and Hazel Tracy.

He met his wife, Barb, at The Sister Kenny Institute in 1973 and they were married in 1975 at the Newman Center in St. Cloud, MN. They moved to Tucson, AZ in 1976 and together forged a lifelong connection to the Southwest desert.

He returned to school at the University of Arizona, earning a degree in Accounting. In 1979, he began working at AURA (which managed Kitt Peak National Observatory). He was the Financial Manager until his retirement in 2014, then returned for an additional 5 years part-time.

Despite facing adversity early in life due to a spinal cord injury in 1969, Jim approached each day with positivity and gratitude. He will be remembered as a devoted husband to Barb (Yanisch), father to daughters Josslyn (Brian) Childs and Quinn (Maya) Tracy, grandfather to Isla James Childs, and brother to Kay (Lanny) Sanken of Hutchinson, MN, and Steve Tracy of Tucson, AZ. In addition to his immediate family, he leaves behind a legacy that spreads to his extended family, including nieces, nephews, and a wide circle of friends.

He loved a glass of good scotch, games, and had a remarkable memory for trivia (60’s music in particular). In lieu of flowers, donations are welcome to Nourish (nourishaz.org), where Jim served as a dedicated board member for many years. A Celebration of Life will be held in September in Tucson, AZ.