Sarah Tracey-Keel passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, August 20. She was surrounded by sunshine, flowers, family, and a half-eaten plate of Irish scones.
Private family services will be held on Tuesday, August 25, 2020 at 11:00 AM. Friends and extended family are invited to stream the service at the following link: Sarah Tracey-Keel Service . Following Mass, Sarah will be laid to rest at Credit River Cemetery in Prior Lake.
Sarah was born in County Carlow, Ireland on December 4 th , 1929. After a pristine primary school attendance record that remains legendary today, she earned her nursing degree at the Royal Academy in London. She cared for patients across Europe and the Middle East before coming to the States to further her work at the Mayo Clinic.
It was in Minnesota that she met Bert, and it was in Minnesota that the two put down roots that would grow deep, wide, and strong. Sarah accomplished much in her nearly 91 years. She fed hundreds at food shelves and cared for thousands at clinics across three continents. She was twice crowned World Champion in indoor rowing. She made more pasta than Chef Boyardee. She brushed away cancer and a host of other ailments with her standard refrain, “oh, this too shall pass. How are you doing?” Sarah engendered impossibly consistent comments from all who entered her orbit – “she’s one of the kindest and most beautiful people we’ve ever met.”
Across her many passions, without question her greatest love was her family. She worked nights so she could walk us to the morning bus. She never missed one of our meets, or matches, or games. She took every opportunity, however small to her but huge to us, to show her support. If a dispute arose concerning one of her cubs, you didn’t want to be on the other side. She had a mystical sense of her children’s and then her grandchildren’s pain. In early years, it would be a touch on the shoulder and a gentle word. Later, the doorbell would chime or the telephone ring and Irish soda bread would soon follow. To this day, we still don’t know how she always knew.
Sarah was warmly greeted in Heaven by her parents, Matt & Elizabeth Tracey; her son Gregory; her sisters Mary Dwane, Cathy Whelan and Josie Fenelon; and her brothers Ned, John, Tom, Luke, Jim and Matt. She will be held always in the hearts of her husband of 60 years, Bert; her children, Karl (Mary), Sean (Michelle Moore), Fiona, Markus (Janet), Paul (Suzanne), Sioḃán (Joseph Marquez); and grandchildren Emma, Peter, Rose, Luke, Taidhgin, Aine, Kieran, Deaglan, Bridget, and Ronan.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a gift to the Franciscan Brothers of Peace. Sarah would appreciate that.
