Tracie Deanna West

Tracie Deanna West

Tracie Deanna West, age 53, passed away on March 19, 2017, at her home in Palmer, Alaska.

Celebration of Life in memory of Tracie will be held 1:00 p.m. Saturday, March 25, 2017 at Janssen’s Mat-Su Funeral Home – 6901 E. Blue Lupine Drive – Palmer, Alaska. Reception immediately following the service. The Reverend Gayle Nauska will be officiating. Tracie’s ashes will be buried at Ft. Richardson National Cemetery on Monday, May 15, 2017, at 12:00 p.m.

Tracie was born July 25, 1963 in Seattle, Washington, to Walter and Betty (Stuart) Short.

Tracie was a loving caring Wife, Mother, and Grandmother who touched many lives. She moved to Alaska in 1971 and fell in love. She enjoyed shopping, fishing, backpacking, camping, riding ATVs, and riding her Harley motorcycle.

Tracie was an amazing Army Wife, who mentored, cared, and supported her family despite many moves and deployments throughout her husband’s career with the Army; Tracie could make a home anywhere.

Tracie coached youth softball and soccer; and also volunteered with several Army organizations. Tracie touched hundreds of families through her volunteer work. She specialized in helping families of deployed Soldiers. Tracie mentored family readiness group leaders and spouses.

Tracie was awarded the United States Army Signal Corps Bronze Order of Mercury, the United States Army Forces Command Dr. Mary Walker Award, and the Department of the Army Commanders Award for Public Service.

In high school, Tracie played the clarinet in band and also played softball. She received an Associate’s Degree from Wayland Baptist University.

She loved to cook and was especially famous for her homemade macaroni and cheese. We will continue our Sunday dinner tradition as often as we can, but we will miss her cooking. Tracie loved to garden and battled moose for several years over her vegetable garden.

Tracie loved her pets. She owned many dogs over the years and was the proud dog mom of two dogs, Charlie and Rohn; she also had a cat named Casper, who thinks he’s a dog. Tracie trained Rohn to earn an AKC Novice Rally Title.

Tracie was especially proud of her nine grandchildren and was urging her daughters to fill out a softball team by adding one more grandchild.

Tracie is survived by her loving husband, William West of Palmer, Alaska; son & daughter in-law, Jason & Rebecca Cumiford of San Antonio, Texas; step-daughter, Laura Bentley of Lawton, Oklahoma; daughter & son in-law, Jeri & Brian Vetter of White City, Oregon; and daughter, Shelby Luna of Helena, Montana. Grandchildren: Soumaya West, Mackenzie Luna, Peyton Cumiford, Archer Cumiford, Michael Vetter, Austin Vetter and Kadence Vetter.

Donation in memory of Tracie may be made to the following: Army Emergency Relief – AERHQ.org or American Cancer Society – CANCER.org

Arrangements cared for by Janssen’s Mat-Su Funeral Home.