Annette Tracy passed away on Easter Sunday morning, April 20, 2025, surrounded by love. She was a free spirit, with a huge, infectious smile and a big laugh. She was always up for an adventure and brought an unmatched enthusiasm and unfailing support to crazy ideas. Whether it was one of her infamous “Operations” or a bold idea that just might make the world a better place, Annette was all in. Her generous nature benefited so many people—some she knew, and thousands she did not.
She was born in Harvey, Illinois, on February 11, 1962. She was the fourth child of the Rev. David Tracy and Harriet Statton Tracy. As the daughter of a minister in the United Methodist Church, she spent her childhood years in the Illinois towns of Mendota, Freeport, and Glencoe. She graduated from New Trier High School in 1982, and later from Northern Illinois University and Benedictine University with advanced studies in education.
She excelled at sports of every kind, but her favorite was basketball. For many years, she was an NCAA referee in women’s basketball. She was passionate about Notre Dame football and the San Francisco Giants.
In 1994, she moved to Northern California where she worked in healthcare IT and financial administration for Blue Cross Blue Shield and United Healthcare. After retiring from corporate positions, she returned to her beloved field of education working for the Oakland and San Francisco Unified School Districts.
Additionally, she served on the Board of Trustees for the North Shore Methodist Church. She was a volunteer leader for the We Golf for Charity benefit and also the Horizons’ Foundation Women’s Golf Tournament, where she met Anne Sterling Dorman.
In 2017, she and Anne were married. They traveled extensively and lived life to the fullest in the years they had together. She served on the Board of Trustees of Prescott College, where she led in the naming of the Anne Sterling Dorman Center. She also assisted Horizons in naming the Anne Sterling Dorman Extraordinary Service Award. Describing her legacy in leadership and legacy building, she said, “That’s the way we roll in my family.”
She will always be renowned for a tradition she created called Crabfest. For nearly 30 years each Thanksgiving weekend, she gathered a ridiculously large group of beloveds, made everyone wear paper crab hats, and released a live Dungeness crab back into the waters of San Francisco Bay. In typical Annette fashion, she never really worried much about the fact that the crab may not have originated from said waters. After that, a huge crab feast ensued and lifelong memories were made.
She is survived by her loving wife, Anne, her sister Sharon Tracy (Lance) Garrett, her brother Mark, several nieces and nephews, her aunt Elaine Tracy (aka Aunt Winnie), and several friends in the San Francisco Bay Area and on Chicago’s North Shore. She is preceded in death by her parents and her sister Linda Tracy Wych.
Annette Tracy was a friend of the San Francisco Bay Times team and will always be remembered for the inspiration and support she provided during the final years of her life.
A memorial service is planned for June 14, 2025, at St. Columba Catholic Church, 6401 San Pablo Avenue, Oakland, 11 am–12 pm. A reception will follow at the Lake Chalet, 1520 Lakeside Drive, Oakland.
In Memoriam
Published on June 12, 2025
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