Clair Ernest Tracy

Clair Ernest Tracy, resident of Ivins, UT, went home to be with the Lord Sunday, July 10, 2016, at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home due to Congestive Heart Failure. Clair was surrounded by family and friends at his passing and had been visited very recently by both of his children, and most of his grandchildren and great grandchildren. Clair was born January 9, 1920 to Roy Alonzo Tracy and Grace Neva (Brown) Tracy in Ohio Grove Township, Illinois. He married Lila LaJune Liebig on March 14, 1944 in Aledo, Illinois, and they were married 72 years. Lila continues to reside at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home. Clair grew up on his parent’s farm near Aledo, Illinois, with his five brothers raising corn, oats, and hay to feed the cattle and pigs. In high school he played football (fullback) and ran track (1/2 mile) and he graduated from Aledo High School in 1937. Prior to WWII Clair worked as a bookkeeper at the Aledo Grain Elevator and farmed. Clair enlisted in the US Army Air Corps and was first trained as an aircraft mechanic but applied to be a flight cadet and became a B-17 co-pilot. He and his crew flew 35 missions over Germany during WWII and received the Air Medal for valor. Clair and Lila farmed near Aledo for ten years after returning from the war. He moved his young family to Whittier, CA in 1955 and worked as a bookkeeper and Business Manager of several auto agencies over the years. The last ten years before he retired he ran a small vending machine business. Clair and Lila retired in 1989, sold their house in Rowland Heights, CA and moved to Spokane, WA. They bought an RV and traveled to every state in the continental US and every province in Canada, over 100,000 miles in 13 years. They played as much golf as possible on these trips. In 2003 they moved to Wenatchee, WA and enjoyed their view of the Cascades and all the apples, cherries, and fresh fruit. Clair, a military and private pilot, loved to fly and was active in Civil Air Patrol with his son and grandson and was his son’s co-pilot in his son’s Cessna 205 and 206. He passed on his love for flying to his son, a private pilot, and his grandson Jon who is an airline pilot for Delta. For Father’s Day in 1992 Clair flew his “36th mission in a B-17 as the co-pilot and flew in formation with a B-24 from Spokane to Pullman, WA. He also flew his “37th” mission in a B-17 in Wenatchee in 2012 in the radio operator’s position. Clair moved to St. George, UT in 2013 and enjoyed the red rock views from their patio and road trips to the national parks. The Lord called Clair to become a Christian and was baptized in the spring of 1935 through the ministry of a little country Presbyterian church in Burgess, Illinois. He was encouraged in his faith by his mother Neva and his trust in Jesus grew and got him through WWII. After the war he served in various deacon and elder positions at churches in Aledo, Illinois, Whittier, and Diamond Bar, CA. Clair lived out his faith quietly and had a heart for helping and serving others. His family called him “Our humble Hero”! Clair is survived by his wife Lila, in Ivins, UT; his son Rodger (Lynn) in St. George, UT, his daughter Rosalie (Dixie) in Desert Hot Springs, CA; grandsons Rodger (Janie) in Huntington Beach, CA, Christian (Natasha) in Houston, TX, Jonathan (Kristin) in Sandy, UT, granddaughters Joy (Chris) Alvarez in Montclair, CA, Mary (Ron) Morales in Tujunga, CA, and six great grandchildren. Clair is survived by one brother, Glenn (Katherine) in Galesburg, IL. Clair is preceded in death by his parents Roy and Neva Tracy, and his brothers Vernon, Virgil, Tom, and Lawrence. The Interment Service will be held at 9:30AM, Friday, July 22, 2016 at the Ivins City Cemetery, UT with full military honors. The Memorial Service will be held at 10:30AM, Friday, July 22, 2016 at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home – East Auditorium, Ivins, UT. All friends, family, and the veterans (spouses) and staff at SUVH are all warmly welcome to both services. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Southern Utah Veterans Home, 160 North 200 East, Ivins, UT, 84738. We would like to extend our gratitude to the love and care given to Clair by the staff at the Southern Utah Veteran’s Home, to the staff at CNS Hospice, to the American Legion and Utah National Guard for honoring Clair’s service, and to Desert Ridge Baptist Church for your love and support. Family and friends may share condolences online, upload photos and video and share at www.SerenityStG.com. Arrangements are under the direction of Serenity Funeral Home and Cremation Center, St. George, UT 435-986-2085.

Clair Ernest Tracy

January 9, 1920 - July 10, 2016