Tracey Ann Thompson

Kinda classy, kinda hood. Today, life is good. Tracey was a special person; one that I have known for 44 short years. There is no way I could write a typical obituary. How could I when she was not a typical person? Tracey’s early life wasn’t an easy one but I still remember her 8-year-old smile. That smile shined! I often read about sparkling eyes but Tracey truly had eyes that sparkled. Those beautiful blue eyes could sparkle with joy and mischief and let me say, we did our share of mischief! She also told me tales of her adventures with a lot of you reading this now! I hope some of you share your stories here. One person cannot fully describe my best friend, my sister, my confidante. She was too amazing for only me to extoll.

Graduating from East High School in 1984 only gave a little of what is needed to succeed in making a good life. She worked manual labor jobs in factories, office jobs in various companies. When she went to work for Gateway, she met someone who truly changed her life. Brian Michel became her team manager. Their bond became what it is when she was close to getting fired for not making her numbers. He saw something in her so he sat with her for months, teaching her Sales. Three months later she was hitting and exceeding those numbers. Tracey discovered a skill that would serve her well for the next two decades. Her last job was with AT&T and many people know how hard it is to succeed there - but she did! She told me a few years ago that she was going to be in the Diamond Club, the top sales in the company, come hell or high water. Well, she made it in 2016 and 2018 and I’m sure she would have made it other years if Time hadn’t run out. AT&T has no clue what it lost but those who truly worked with her know!

Tracey loved beautiful things, from mountains, forests, gardens, and oceans, to jewelry, shoes, and clothes. Macy’s should have made her their spokesperson! She loved to travel and was just getting started on her travel goals. Tracey and I went to Colorado a couple of years ago to visit our long-time, awesome friend, Karen Smith. We started out with an adventure just trying to get the hell out of Denver International Airport! We walked all over, asked several people, rode the tram, and still ended up in the wrong area for passengers to get picked up. Karen had to drive to an area where you aren’t supposed to pick up passengers to get us. In our defense, we had only had 3 hours of sleep and it was a very early morning flight. Neither one of us is morning people, either! We did end up having a blast, though, going to the Stanley Hotel and drinking $20 shots of Don Julio 1942 tequila! Tracey traveled back to Colorado a few times but she always drove after the DIA mishap. Our niece, Cerylean Jones went with her to Coloarado recently. Her young friend,

Sydney went a car-trip with her, too, a few years ago. Tracey took a lovely little girl name Miakel on shopping adventures and slumber parties at her house. Tracey also loved going to Eureka Springs, Arkansas. She went with our friend Karen, whom we

met when we were 14 years old, in the fall a few years ago. She told me all about it so our group of four old friends, Deanna Potts, Sherry Chrisman, and I decided on a Wine Night trip. The first night we got to our cabin we spent several hours sitting on the porch, drinking wine, eating junk food, halfway watching a Royals game, and laughing so much we all hurt the next day! Laughter like that is a gift from the Universe. It means you are with the right people at the right time. I know a few of you shared those types of moments with her, too. How could you not with a friend like Tracey? I am sure her neighbors like Jeremiah, Stacey, Tom, Reanne, Kym, - I don’t even know all their names but I know that it is a tight-knit little area - have tales to tell of the bonfire nights and her coming over just to spend time with them. That’s who she was - a genuine person who gave you her time and connected with you. Anyone that knew Tracey knows of her love of music. We bonded over music and, as teenagers, spent hours in my room listening to Traffic, Dylan, The Doors, of course VAN HALEN, and so many others! Her brother, Eric, can tell you of how many hours she spent listening to music. One song he recalled was Lynard Skynard’s “One in the Sun” and, yes, he probably got tired of hearing Van Halen constantly as a kid! Concerts were a common theme in her life and we went to many together. She didn’t get stuck in just older music. Nirvana became her favorite in the Nineties along with Kid Rock and she continued to discover and enjoy music through all her decades. She proclaimed Glass Animals as her recent best concert. Again, proving how dynamic Tracey was in life!

Brian Michel and Tracey shared custody of Beaumont, an adorable little black Shih Tzu whom all the neighbors know! Rowdie is her beautiful, cream-colored kitty that she kept alive through several different episodes of tomcat foolery and kidney disease. He misses his mom and sleep on a T-shirt of hers. She loved her furbabies and she knows they are in good hands

She loved sports- from collegiate leagues to the Pros. Royals, Chiefs, NASCAR, numerous college teams, Tracey just loved so many things and was so full of life that is it impossible to include everything. Most importantly, she loved her family of friends. I know I missed names of people she was close with but if I listed all who loved her and whom she loved, well, I think this site would run out of room! Tracey had a big heart, took no BS, but gave love, light, and sparkle that we will all cherish!

Leave me a trail of shiny, my beloved sister/bestie/soulmate, for when my time comes I will find you again. “She Leaves a Little Sparkle Wherever She Goes”