John Ansel Tracy

John Ansel Tracy passed from this life on May 3, 2025 and will always remain in our hearts.

Jack was born in 1931, Holderness, New Hampshire the eldest son of Ansel Elroy Tracy and Rose Hull Tracy. He spent his childhood in Plymouth, NH where his father was a lumberjack and police officer and his mother was a homemaker and musician. He ice skated on ponds,skied in his backyard, jumped barrels and glided down main street in winter. Jack’s family history stretched over the White Mountains of New Hampshire, into Maine and Canada where towns bare the Tracy family name. Both sides of the family line carry attributes of physical strength & endurance, compassion,fortitude and great storytelling. Patriots and settlers are part of his mighty tree.

The family moved to Mingo Junction Ohio in the mid 1940’s and Jack became a stellar athlete with records that remained unbroken for track and field and basketball ability, leading to a scholarship to University of Miami, FL. He left university after 2 years to join the United States Navy and helped support his widowed mother. He enjoyed telling stories about his time as a radio man serving on the Newport News and stationed at Key West Florida and the many escapades with Navy crewmates.

Jack returned to Ohio in the mid 1950’s and met Mary Ann Krasevec at a formal dance. They married in 1957 and welcomed six children: John Scott (deceased), Thomas Ansel, Patrick Michael, Susan Mary, Timothy Shawn, and Steven Joseph.

Jack and MaryAnn had a welcoming home for friends, family and all the kids in their Clearview neighborhood. Jack worked as a freight conductor for the Pennsylvania Railroad and was on call the majority of his career. It was not uncommon for him to work an overtime shift and come home to either mowing several acres of grass, or shoveling a long driveway of snow, He always loved being outdoors and had time for his children, and used his slow steady New Hampshire manner to “talk” us into seeing the error of our ways. He had a beautiful mind, was a gifted draftsman and an empathetic person who was a completely self made man, retired early, invested wisely (firstly, marrying MaryAnn), worked hard and pretended to be tight with a buck but was generous in every way possible.

Together, Jack and MaryAnn traveled the country and enjoyed the company of friends and family. He was preceded in death by his parents, Rose H and Ansel E Tracy and his siblings - Patricia Sciasia, Beverly Burrier, David Tracy, Shirley Pietrowski. Inlaws - Helen Busacca and Joseph Krasevec, his infant son John Scott Tracy and grandsons Ryan and Cullen Tracy.

Jack is survived by MaryAnn, his wife of 68 years, and children: Tom Tracy (Michelle), Pat Tracy (Gay), Susan Maness (Terry), Tim Tracy (Melissa). Steve Tracy (Lori).

Grandchildren: Brianna Sawdey (Mike), Ethan Tracy (Emily), Colleen Tracy. Avery and Aubrey Tracy, George and Perry Maness, Sawyer Tracy, Hannah and Sarah Tracy.

Great grandchildren : Lauren, Paige and Nathan Sawdey

Inlaws: Frank Busacca, Rosalie and Frank McSwain, Christine and Chris Chlon, numerous nephews and nieces from the Tracy, Sciascia, Pietrowski, Burrier, Krasevec. Chlon, Busacca and McSwain families.

 Memorial services will be on Monday May 12, 2025 grave side from 12 noon until time of services at 1pm with Rev. Stephen Castellano, MIC at Mt Calvary Cemetery, Steubenville, Ohio. 

Schuetz Funeral Home is assisting the family.

To leave a condolence visit www.schuetzfuneralhome.com