Tracy Tiensi Chen

January 4, 1948 - December 18, 2022

Tiensi “Tracy” Chen of Austin, TX passed away on Sunday, December 18, 2022

(For a live video feed of today's memorial service visit)

Mosaicchurchaustin.com/Chen

Tracy was born in Taiwan in 1948. He was the youngest of seven kids. He grew up there and after 4 years of college and 2 years of military service he moved to America.

He loved the opportunities here. He graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Master’s in Architecture.

He married Marianne Chen on December 29, 1974. According to legend, Marianne Chen was visiting a mutual friend named Poli, and Tracy stopped to drop off a bottle of Soy sauce. Upon meeting Marianne, he left and then called back saying he and his roommate would bring their food over and they could eat together. Soon they were over with the dishes they had prepared. And this is how the Tracy and Marianne Chen family tree began.

Soy sauce is great for not just flavoring food, but for seasoning your family tree.

Three years after marrying Marianne, they found themselves in Decatur, Illinois, where they gave birth to their first son, Aaron.

As he continued to grow in his career, they made the move down to Houston Texas, where Emmi Chen was born. And then finally landing in Austin where Connie and Martin were born.

Tracy is responsible for hundreds, if not thousands of completed buildings and projects across the US. From Austin to Houston from Jackson, Mississippi to Charlotte, North Carolina, and all over Southern California, all the way up into Chicago.

His influence will go for many generations.

Tracy was very passionate about his wife and his kids. He would put in 90+ hour work weeks to provide. He often would forgo buying himself anything to make sure his family had what they needed. If he didn’t have kids he wouldn’t have shoes.

He was artistic, athletic, active, growth oriented and he loved people.

He never met a stranger, and made sure that everyone felt warm, welcomed, and invited.

Tracy knew that life is what you made of it. Which is why he never wasted any time. He worked hard to carve out his own niche. And from that niche he was able to provide for his family.

Tracy spoke wisdom, love, and encouragement to everyone he came in contact with. He was loyal, even if it was taken for granted.

He purposely would not burn bridges, but worked hard to keep the doors open.

He had a great love for sports, for cigars, and for good coffee.

He was a champion for the underdog. A voice for the small business owner. But what Tracy is most known for is his representing the love of God for everyone.

Tracy would often say “a joyful heart is good medicine.” And he held to that.

If you have any impactful memories, his family would love to hear them. Please share them below in the comments.

May the Lord bless us, and keep us. May He make His face shine upon us, and be gracious to us. May He look upon us with favor, and give us peace.

Amen.