December 3, 2007 Roberts Funeral Home, Ocala, Florida
These letters were read by Kenna Prine
Tracy's body is interred at Good Shepherd Memorial Gardens, Ocala, Florida
Tracy was born of goodly parents on March 27th, 1957, in Libertyville, Illinois. In her early childhood the family relocated to Florida, where Tracy grew up. A couple of years in Tampa, and the remainder of childhood and formative years, the Robinsons lived in Lakeland. The daughter of George and Judi Robinson, Tracy was the apple of their eye, the sunshine of their lives. When she was 11 years old, an adopted sister Sandy joined their family. Tracy bore a striking resemblance to her parents, both her mother and her father. When you saw her you knew immediately she was the daughter of both George and Judi.
At 8 years old Tracy was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. During her growing up years she attended Primary and the Young Womens Organization. She enjoyed playing basketball. Incidentally, when she was growing up in the sixties – like a lot of teenage girls in the world – Tracy was in love with Elvis Presley and said that she wanted to marry him. In her teen years Tracy was always trying to outsmart her mother. For those of us who know her mother, Judi Robinson, that would not be an easy task. One time she wanted to go somewhere with her mother, where her mother did not approve and she said, “Mother, if I go anyway what will you do?”
Tracy and her husband Jeremy lived in the Los Angeles area for the past 18 years where she attended school and received an Associates Degree. During her professional career she worked in accounting with a real estate firm in Southern California. Tracy was an organized person with a place for everything and everything in its place. She even volunteered to organize her mother’s purse. Tracy liked people, she enjoyed helping others. She was amicable and friendly. She liked to socialize; she enjoyed talking to people and would even strike up conversations with strangers.
Tracy will be sorely missed by those who knew her. She will be loved eternally by her family and friends. God bless you Tracy.
Tracy is survived by family that loved her. Her parents: George Grayson Robinson and Judith C Robinson, her sister Sandra Sue Timmons, her Aunt Jerry Hader from Salinas, California, her Aunt Sandra Sue Gilson from Pleasant Grove, Utah, her Aunt Beulah Johnson from Benton, Illinois, and her husband of 18 years, Jeremy Oliver from Los Angeles.
I am privileged to be here this afternoon with family and friends. I’ve been asked to share some letters that have been written by some of Tracy’s family. Before I do I just wanted to say that I met Tracy as a newlywed when I moved to Florida and she was a friend of my husband Matt’s. I can remember some nice evenings at the Robinsons and I see some friends, I see Donovan back there and others that we would spend some time playing.
Tracy for our wedding gift gave us this set of orange bowls. They were nice and bright and over the years almost every batch of popcorn we’ve eaten has been eaten out of those bowls, and almost every batch of cookies we’ve made has been made using those bowls! I’ve often thought of her over the years. I remember her as a very bright and shiny person and I’m grateful for the brightness that she brings into my kitchen whenever I bring out those bowls. I have good memories.
This first letter I am going to share with you is from her husband Jeremy.
“I loved my life with Tracy. She was generous, kind, artistic and happy. She would put bugs back outside, feed the neighborhood cats and talk and try to help even the homeless.
Some of my favorite memories involve us laughing. We would be driving or eating even lying in the dark and a joke would spark a half hour of giggling together. I remember her delight in finding American style bread after a week in China.
I loved watching her dance and reading her poetry. She also wrote children’s books and a screenplay. Tracy encouraged every artist I knew to pursue their art and truly enjoyed sharing in their successes. She derived a lot of hope and happiness from her church and loved to help and contribute to its expansion.
I will always miss her, think of her, and love her.
This is a poem that she wrote in February called The Gift:
You love me, I am complete
The feat I accomplish, and bring to your feet
You love me again, I am complete
Your best, your girl
Tracy leaven is my name
You christen me yours, this is the game”
This next letter is from her sister Sandy.
“I am greatly comforted at this time with the knowledge that families are forever and that Tracy is my sister eternally. She is my only sister and I’m thankful to know that though this is a very difficult time that this is not goodbye. I love Tracy very much and this is only until we meet again. Love, Sandra”
This is sent from her family, from Jim Gilson.
“This letter is for all of you who have known and loved Tracy so intensely: Jeremy, Aunt Jerri and Sandy, her sister Sandy and especially her parents, George and Judi. I’m sure that my feelings of sadness and pain are nothing compared to what you are feeling.
It is impossible for me to fathom the agony of spirit Tracy must have been feeling to bring her to such a point in her life. I know it’s not really the end of our relationship with Tracy, but only a tragic interruption. Nothing can destroy the works of God but only frustrate them for a while – the best is yet to come.
Part of me wants to be with you at this time but another part tells me that I would be walking on sacred ground. This is a time for the principal people in Tracy’s life to draw close together and come to closure. I and the rest of the family will be there with you in spirit. I know there will be other opportunities for the extended family to be together. With deepest affection and love, Jim Gilson.
And lastly, this is from her Mother.
“If we knew the future, we could not live today. Hope is the only thing that makes us want to stay. When hope is gone we do not linger long, and the heart is left without a song. My heart this day is so full of pain that I might be the one to blame.
Tracy you are our first love, our first hope, our song in the heart. We did not always understand or agree with you, you let us know from an early age that you were your own person. Now you have taken your light away from us and we are left to morn the loss.
Thank you for the time we had, to look back without a forward. Fifty years seems so short. The gift of life and family and faith is so precious, but our lives push along and we often forget. Where can I turn for peace? Where is my solace? Constant Christ is, and kind; love without ending. I have hope that I will see you again in the light of His love. Love, Mom”
If you would like to add a farewell letter of your own please email me and I will include it on this page.