Résumé

Employee, Isaacson Iron Works, Seattle, WA, 06/1942. At this time, the Isaacson Iron Works operated at 2917 East Marginal Way in Seattle. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 179, accessed 06/07/2021.)

Military service, United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), European Theatre, World War II. Tracey enlisted in the USAAF on 02/05/1944 and was discharged on 12/12/1945. He served as a navigator in the USAAF. His bomber was shot down over the Netherlands in 1944, forcing him to parachute out over Nazi-occupied territory. Dutch resistance fighters rescued Tracey and kept him safe for six months before he could make his way back to Allied lines. His obituary stated: "On July 7, 1944 as the navigator of the lead plane returning to England your plane was shot down. Bailing out, you landed in Holland and were lucky to be found by the Dutch underground. You were with them nearly 6 months when you were found and liberated and able to return home." (See Legacy.com, "Richard M. Tracey," published 07/07/2004, accessed 04/20/2021.)

He remained in the US AIr Force during the Korean and Vietnam Wars, and left the service at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

Principal, R.M. Tracey and Associates, Engineers, Seattle, WA, c. 1957-1958.

Partner, Tracey, [Milton B.] Cook, Brunstrom and Dudley, Engineers, Seattle, WA, 1959- .

Principal, Olympic and Associates, Engineers, Seattle, WA.

High School/College

Graduate, O'Dea High School, Seattle, WA, c. 1943.

Relocation

The 1930 US Census found eight-year-old Richard living with his parents and three siblings in a residence at 8102 30th Avenue SW in Seattle, WA. The census reported that the Traceys owned their own house worth approximately $2500, a modest sum for the time. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0416; FHL microfilm: 2342238, accessed 06/07/2021.)

Between at least 1940 and 1942, Tracey lived at 2709 44th Avenue SW in Seattle's West Seattle neighborhood. In 1940, the house's value had risen to $3,500. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1940; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Roll: m-t0627-04381; Page: 6B; Enumeration District: 40-243, accessed 06/07/2021 and Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 179, accessed 06/07/2021.)

Tracey and his wife were buried at the Tahoma National Cemetery, Kent, WA.

Parents

His mother, Kathleen Theresa Murphy (born 12/11/1896 in Auburn, WA-d. 04/21/1963 in Seattle, WA), raised four children and managed the household. According to the Canadian Census of 1911, she lived as a 14-year-old with her parents and seven siblings in Vancouver, BC, at 1342 Harris Street, where her father Lawrence E. Murphy (born c. 04/1864) may have worked as a logging contractor. Her mother was not listed in the 1911 census record. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1911; Census Place: 29 - Vancouver City, Vancouver, British Columbia; Page: 15; Family No: 140, accessed 06/07/2021.)

Her husband Richard Tracey (born 11/18/1892 in Plate Cove, Newfoundland, Canada-d. 07/21/1954 in Seattle, WA), was born in the fishing village of Plate Cove, a town settled by Irish Catholic and English Anglican immigrants. He worked as a steel worker in 1930, likely in a plant in the Duwamish area or what is now SoDo. Born in Newfoundland, Tracey migrated to the US in 1913, according to the 1930 US Census. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation Year: 1930; Census Place: Seattle, King, Washington; Page: 10A; Enumeration District: 0416; FHL microfilm: 2342238, accessed 06/07/2021.)

Kathleen and Richard married by 1920.

According to Richard Tracey's naturalization paperwork, he worked as a laborer in the then-booming copper mining city of Butte, MT, on 05/23/1917, when he first declared his intention for US citizenship. Richard last lived in Sydney, Nova Scotia, c. 06/1913 and entered the US aboard the Intercolonial Railway at Vanceboro, ME, on 06/09/1913. He married Kathleen c. 1920 and they resided at 161 Lynn Street in Seattle by 01/19/1921, when he became a US citizen. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation The National Archives, Washington DC; Washington DC; ARC Title: Naturalization Records for the Superior Court for King, Pierce, Thurston, and Snohomish Counties, Washington, 1850-1974; NAI Number: M1543; Record Group Title: Records of District Courts of the United States, 1685 - 2009; Record Group Number: 21, accessed 06/07/2021.)

By 1940, Richard worked as a business agent for an iron-worker union.

Richard Michael Tracey, Sr.'s siblings included James Edward Tracey 12/08/1920-d. 08/19/1988 in WA), Raymond Peter Tracey (born 09/05/1924 in WA-d. 03/23/2003 in Everett, WA), Mary Agnes Tracey Woods (born c. 05/1929 in WA-d. 08/26/2009 in Snohomish County, WA), Margaret Ellen Tracey (born 11/16/1933 in Seattle, WA-d. 07/06/2006 in King County, WA) and Andrew Joseph Tracey (born c. 1935 in Seattle, WA).

Spouse

He wed Dorothy May Brown (born 11/24/1922 in Liverpool, England-d. 12/29/2004 in King County, WA) in Harris County, TX, on 04/30/1945.) They may have met while Richard was training in England with USAAF in 1944.

Children

He and Dorothy had two children: Marilyn Kathleen Tracey (born 03/25/1946 in Seattle, WA) and Richard M. Tracey, Jr., (born 04/19/1950 in Seattle, WA).

Biographical Notes

In 1942, at age 20, Tracey stood 6-feet, 1-and-3/4-inches tall and weighed 185 pounds. His World War II draft registration card noted that he was Caucasian, with a light complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. (See Ancestry.com, Source Citation National Archives at St. Louis; St. Louis, Missouri; WWII Draft Registration Cards for Washington, 10/16/1940-03/31/1947; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 179, accessed 06/07/2021.)