In Loving Memory of Our Mom
Ronda Margaret Tracy
1937-2024
It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our beloved mother, Ronda Margaret Tracy. Born in England on March 11, 1937, she lived a life filled with creativity, faith, and family. She passed peacefully on March 7, 2024, at home in Elk Ridge, Utah, with family near her.
Mom grew up during WW2 in Bury St. Edmunds, England. She was proud of her father Frank, a Master Printer, who owned his own print shop and worked with her brothers. Their shop was one of the few in town that had a telephone because her dad had to receive wartime calls for duty assignments. The family was raised in the Church of England. She would often comment on her brother’s beautiful voice and his singing in the church choir. As difficult and dangerous as it was in those days, Mom loved her life with her family in her little town.
Mom married Robert E. French, a young U.S. Airman, and had her first child, Bob, in England. With military assignments coming, she left her homeland with her small family and traveled the world. Their first stop was the very foreign locale of Fort Worth, Texas, after which they moved to Greenville, South Carolina, where daughter Becky was born. Shelley was born at their next home in New Egypt, New Jersey. From New Jersey, in 1960, the family received an overseas duty assignment and spent two years in Japan at Tachikawa Air Base, where Mom learned to create beautiful geisha dolls and immersed herself in the local culture. Mom always loved the fact that one of her grandsons, Jason, chose to live in in Japan and is raising his family there.
Returning to the United States, the family spent time in Colorado Springs, Colorado, followed by an assignment to Cheyenne, Wyoming. Russell was born there in 1964. In 1968 the family moved to Vandenberg AFB, Lompoc, California. Rachel, our little sister, was born there in 1969. After Lompoc, Mom spent years with family. First in Paso Robles with Becky, then in Utah with Shelley and Becky.
While at Vandenberg AFB Mom made good friends with her neighbors who invited her and her family to learn more about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mom had always missed the involvement of church in her life and she loved this discovery and her new friends. Mom and her whole family were baptized on July 21, 1972. The Church became a big part of her life going forward. She especially fell in love with genealogy work and learning about her family history.
Our Mom was a very talented artist, whose works brought happiness to many. Her landscapes especially are found in many homes. She taught many budding artists. She sold many of her works and held shows in galleries along the Central Coast of California. She painted until she could no longer put on canvas what she saw in her mind. Then, she watched others paint and still continued learning and appreciating the process of creating art. She always encouraged art and music in our home.
Mom’s greatest happiness has always been keeping up on the activities and accomplishments of her children and their families. She loved nothing more than having visits with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She was “Nana”, “Nanny”, “Great-Nana”, and “Great-Nanny” in the family. She leaves a legacy of love and creativity and funny stories(!) that will stay within our family forever.
Mom is survived by her five children: Bob French of Valencia, CA; Becky Osman of Elk Ridge, UT; Shelley Walters of Orem, UT; Russell French of Lompoc, CA; Rachel Shalhoob of Santa Barbara, CA; 21 grandchildren, and 32 great-grandchildren. Mom was also the Nanny for Butch’s children and Grandchildren who love her.
A private family memorial service is being planned.
Bob, Becky, Shelley, Russ and Rachel
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