With great sadness, we share the heartbreaking news that we have lost our wonderful colleague and dear friend, Tracey Hooper. Tracey passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, May 5, 2020 due to illness. She leaves behind her “prince charming” husband Darren, two adored sons, Nic, Josh and their families, and the light of her days, one-year old grandson Bennett. Tracey also was full of excited anticipation for two other grandbabies on the way. Our deepest love and prayers go out to them, her extended family, and many cherished friends.
Although it’s impossible to capture in words all that Tracey meant to our Peel & Holland family, we want to remember her, honor her, and celebrate her, rejoicing in where she is now, while we comfort one another in a time of such deep loss. The world has lost a person who loved life and loved people. In recent days, many of us have felt her smiling down and blanketing us with encouragement, smiles, and compassion – something she did every single day!
Tracey joined Peel & Holland nine years ago as a member of our Family Insurance team. She was a perfect fit for her job, taking care of others in times of need. She was fierce in making sure insurance coverage was right. She was diligent in getting claims addressed quickly and to each client’s satisfaction. She never wanted to miss a beat or let anyone down. She spoke with honesty when she needed to and with sincerity as a born problem-solver. She worked tirelessly for the benefit of others. During times when some of us knew she didn’t feel her best, she never let that dampen her loving, bubbly spirit. She never wanted to be the center of attention, and she never wanted to disappoint her team. Our clients could count on her, and so could we.
In the office, Tracey was high-energy, full of kindness, and went out of her way to be a bright light of optimism. She adorned her desk with fresh flowers from her yard, was our beautifully dressed fashionista, happily greeted everyone coming through the doors, and had the comfort of her essential oils wafting out into the hallway. Tracey looked great even when she didn’t feel well and joked when she thought she was having a bad hair day, saying it looked “just like cotton candy.” And speaking of candy, all of our kids knew that a visit to our Murray office guaranteed special candy treats from Ms. Tracey’s desk.
Tracey never missed an opportunity to volunteer with us at Soup for the Soul, Murray’s local soup kitchen. She had a grateful heart for all her blessings and in turn, showed compassion for those in need. She also had a special bond with so many of us. Sometimes it was cutting up like siblings. Other times, she stepped up to fill a gap. For example, she “adopted” several young moms in the office who have no local family, taking them under her wing as a mentor and a friend – and sometimes as a surrogate grandmother. Most recently, she hid Easter eggs in co-workers’ yards and watched from her car as their kids hunted them. She made our families feel like her own. Somehow, she always knew exactly when to reach out to one of us, talking and talking and talking some more. She was full of encouragement for everyone at Peel & Holland. She was family.
One of Tracey’s team members visited a doctor’s office this morning and found this quote from Maya Angelou on the wall.
“People will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
This was our Tracey, smiling down.
Tracey, you are very loved.
You will be missed more than any of us can say.
You are forever in our hearts.
