Ryan Andrew Tracy passed away after a brave fight with brain cancer on June 24, 2020 with his mother by his side at Meadowbrook Nursing Facility.
Known as Spanky to his family and as My Wild Child to his mother Ryan was born in St. Petersburg, FL November 22, 1976 and moved to Loretto, TN in 2011.
Ryan loved to laugh and more importantly to make others laugh right up til the day he died. He was so quick witted and would refer to himself as the fat funny guy from FL. Even the smallest occasion like a trip to the store was an opportunity to make someone smile or laugh, He considered that his calling. He amazed those that cared for him during his illness because he managed to make them all laugh even in the bleakest of moments. If you were with Ryan you were guaranteed he would get you to laugh or smile even if he had you angry. Ryan was a true force of nature and it does not seem possible that that mouth of his is now forever silent.
Ryan was a huge sports fan with a lifelong love of the Boston Celtics & Red Sox, the LA Dodgers, the FL Gators, Miami Dolphins, boxing, wrestling. If it was sports related and on television he was watching it. Ryan spent many good times with family & friends watching pay per view boxing, wrestling and MMA events. Basketball was his passion both watching and playing. He loved to tell everyone how even as a 400lb guy he could still make a jump shot. He played golf (badly) and was never as happy as when he was on the links with Uncle Mike & Uncle Tom. He loved his train trips to Boston with his Uncle Mike especially if a visit to Boston Garden was included.
Ryan considered himself a good cook and loved making food for family and friends especially at Tara’s barbeques and grilling for his co-workers at Four Amigos. Ryan was an avid movie watcher and many Saturdays were spent going to the movies with his mom and his beautiful little sister, Rhiannon. One of his favorite Christmas traditions was grabbing for movies at the sales after Thanksgiving. He would spend hours in line to make sure he grabbed the movies on Rhiannon’s wish list and was looking forward to doing the same for her son Benny. He watched games shows endlessly because it made him so happy to see people win life changing amounts of money, beautiful cars and amazing trips. He would actually cry because he was so happy for them. Sunday evenings were spent watching shows on PBS with his mom. He was stunned by how many of them he actually liked. He never in a million years thought he would like Downton Abbey or Call the Midwife. Humane Society and SPCA commercials always made him cry. He developed an intense dislike of Howie Mandel because of what he considered poor treatment of Kaley Fail when she was on AGT.
Ryan treasured all his memories of the past and thankfully the tumor never robbed him of those. Dancing with his girls in Tampa, playing basketball with his cousins and neighborhood friends. Holidays with the family. Listening to Errykah Baddhu with Rhiannon and Mia. Going to Clancy’s with the crew from Community Home Care Professionals and Doug Kerkhoff & Chriss Morris. He remembered every single sporting event he ever attended or watched. Most of all he never forgot his love for everyone.
Ryan is survived by his mother Denise Tracy and stepfather Paul Priest, his beautiful little sister Rhiannon Allmandinger and her husband Steven Hampshire and nephew Benjamin “Benny” Hampshire. Uncle Michael”Godfather” Tracy(Peggy Hansford), Uncle Thomas Tracy(Jann), Aunt Noreen LaPiccirella, Aunt Francine”Godmother” Adams, Aunt Jill Allmandinger Moyer as well as his loved cousins Sharon Tracy, Jason Tracy, Angela LaPiccirella, Bobby LaPiccirella (Amy), Aaron Tracy, Melissa Connolly (Brian) and Dallas Tracy as well as all of their beautiful and talented children.
He was predeceased by the most amazing grandparents ever, Thomas & M. Eloise Tracy.
Ryan is also survived by the family of his heart, Ragna Esajas, Kaley Fail, Tara Saarinen, Mica Carter, David & Jackie Dawson, Cody Glover, Doug Kerkhoff, TJ Harris and Matt & Jessica”Fruit Cake” Blessing.
Because he hated the idea of anyone crying and would much rather be remembered with laughs and smiles there are no services planned at this time. There will be a Ryan Tracy Victory Tour in FL at a later date.
Donations can be made to St. Jude’s Childrens Hospital or your local PBS station (he always wanted to be a sponsor)
