Patricia "Patty" Tracy

Patricia Rose Tracy, affectionately called Patty, passed away on October 13, 2010 at a Florida care center. Patty was born March 14, 1932 in Twin Falls, Idaho to William and Clara Burnett and their children, Irene, Pauline, James, Albert, Betty, Patricia, Cecil, and Varetta, moved to Homedale, Idaho in February 1935 or 1936. She gave herself to the Lord in the Nazarene Church right about the time she became a teenager and soon felt the calling by God to be a missionary. She graduated from Homedale HS. in 1950 and enrolled in Northwest Nazarene College. Patty left Northwest Nazarene College in 1957 with a Bible Certificate. She moved to Oklahoma in 1957 to pastor a small Nazarene Church and worked in a nursing home, then in a hospital. David Tracy had been writing to Patty to encourage her as she was far from family and friends. Shortly before Patty was to be ordained David Tracy suddenly fell in love with her, had been courting her from Homedale, and asked for her hand in marriage. Much of the courtship happened through letters as Patty was in Oklahoma. Initially, Patty was not receptive to David's courtship as she thought David Watson sent the courtship letter as a mean joke. The truth was quickly straightened out. David and Patty exchanged vows November 23, 1962. They moved to Rock Island, Illinois for two years where they both attended courses at the Bible Missionary Institute. While, in Illinois, David and Patty celebrated the birth of their first child, Daniel, in 1964. Around 1965, David and Patty moved to Wichita Falls, Texas where Patty taught Kindergarten and First Grade in a Christian school while David attended college. In 1967, they moved back to Homedale for a year, where they celebrated the birth of their second son, Benjamin. Their next move was to Farmington, New Mexico in May 1968. They were blessed with their daughter, Elizabeth, in 1971. They became missionaries at the Navajo Bible Missionary Church, where they stayed until their retirement in 2007. David and Patty were the caretakers of abandoned and mistreated Navajo girls. Patty, along with other members of the church staff, would often go on visiting trips to sing and testify to the Navajo people on the reservation. After five years on the Mission, the Navajo girls were then moved to Child Haven in downtown Farmington. Navajo parents then began to bring their small children to Patty for babysitting while they worked. When the word got out about her babysitting, she may have had over a dozen children to care for; she never turned anyone away. Patty taught the essentials: potty training, reading, and some writing. She also taught the children to pray. She became quite close to many of the children as they did with her. Some of the parents came to church; a few were saved. As many of these children grew up, they brought their own youngsters to "Grandma Tracy". In 2007, David and Patty moved to Tampa, Florida to live with their son, Dan, and his wife to assist in caring for their needs. They took excellent care of Patty as her Alzheimer's disease progressed. Patty always kept her sense of humor and her joy for living. Patty was a wonderful wife for 48 years and never lost her love for her savior. Patty is survived by husband, David Tracy, siblings Pauline Walby, Cecil Burnett, and Varetta Gough, children Daniel Tracy and Elizabeth Thomas, and grandchildren Daniel L. Tracy, Megan Tracy, Amber Tracy, and Erica Thomas. "Suffer the little children to come unto me, of such is the kingdom of Heaven." A Memorial service will be held on Saturday, October 30th, at 1:00 PM at the Homedale Bible Missionary Church, at 501 W. Idaho Ave in Homedale, ID. Inurnment will follow at Marsing-Homedale Cemetery, Marsing, ID. Services are under the care of Flahiff Funeral Chapel. Homedale. Condolences may given at www.Flahifffuneralchapel.com Service Information