From 10th District Republilcan Centreal Committeeman Keith Brin:
Passing of Tori Tracy
I’ve spent most of my column counting votes.
I want to take a moment to tell you about something far more important.
I want to tell you a little about Tori Tracy.
Tori grew up in Springfield and made a home in Duluth.
She hiked, made art, and was learning Spanish because she wanted to speak it fluently.
She had strong convictions and stood up for people.
She also had two rescue dogs, Daisy and Velma.
Of all the details in her obituary, the one I keep coming back to is that her family takes comfort in picturing her with Daisy again.
Tori died at 34, three days before the election.
A lot of us in Illinois Republican politics know her father, Don, as a former state Republican chairman and as the man who ran for the U.S. Senate last week.
The obituary tells you what mattered in the Tracy household that week.
Don and Wanda had lost their daughter.
Three people had lost their sister.
Eight kids had lost their aunt.
I care about elections because the decisions people make in office affect the people we love.
It’s easy, though, to spend an evening studying precinct returns and put off calling one of those very people.
I’ve done it, more times than I care to acknowledge.
The returns and the politics will be there tomorrow. Make the call tonight.
To Don and Wanda, and to everyone who loves Tori, we’re thinking of you.
I hope that in the weeks and months ahead, people keep calling and telling you their favorite stories about her.
And I hope that we all can take a step back and remember what’s really important.
Memorial Mass officiated by Rev. Mark Tracy will be held on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 11:30 a.m. at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 730 S. 12th St., Springfield.
May Tori’s memory be a blessing, forever.
