Tracey Lynn (Mildeberger) Parker Obituary (1959 - 2023)

Our dear sweet Tracey slipped the surly bonds of earth from her home in Gig Harbor in the company of loved ones on February 12, 2023, after a gallant six-year battle against Young Onset Alzheimer's Disease. Born January 22, 1959, in Encino, California to George and Gloria Mildeberger. Family was always first in her earthly world. Tracey's early years were in Southern California in Canoga Park and Thousand Oaks. She had wonderful memories and friends from those years, then spent most of her high school years in Beaverton, Oregon, graduating from Aloha High School. While there she initially met her future husband, Rob Parker who fell hard for her and her wonderful smile and piercing blue eyes that lit up any room she entered. Tracey went on to Portland Community College and found a new passion in Sign Language Interpreting, graduating with the first batch of graduates from their fledgling program. She was nationally certified by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf as a Sign Language Interpreter (CI, CT; both interpreting and transliteration). Tracey did community interpreting and Video Remote Interpreting with Sorenson, SignOn, California School for the Deaf and others in various locations as she moved around to follow Rob's highly mobile career (San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, Washington D.C., and Virginia among others). She loved what she did, and she was very good at it until she retired in 2013. She had the most expressive face you have ever seen and was usually smiling. In 1980, Tracey married Rob in Hillsboro, Oregon. A devoted and incredibly supportive military spouse to Rob's Coast Guard career that spanned 34 of their 43 years married and included long absences due to his deployments on ships and other endeavors. She was an exemplar for others to emulate and a major contributor to Rob's career of service. Elegant and full of grace, fun-loving and warmly welcoming, she could make anyone feel at ease and help sort out any problem. She was thoughtful and unpretentious with a perfect hint of mischief. She made lasting friends easily and contributed everywhere she lived, including two years in Monrovia, Liberia where she helped build the Liberian School for the Deaf among other volunteer exploits in an area of desperate needs. After Rob's retirement from the Coast Guard in 2014 they settled in Gig Harbor where they found welcoming new friends in an area she absolutely loved. As a young girl Tracey loved all animals, horses, and dogs especially. That love, which included a couple of parrots, would continue to the end with the devotion to Tracey from our dog, Salty. She had a special relationship with all animals and was passionate about their proper care and sustainment. A terrific cook and baker who loved to share, there were always treats to be had. She enjoyed being outdoors and hiking or walking, gardening, sewing, and listening to music. A self-described "tree hugger," she had a passion for the preservation of our planet's natural resources and beauty. Gone too soon, Tracey is predeceased by her parents George and Gloria. She is survived by her husband Rob and her brother Eric and their families. Her gracious heart, infectious smile and those dazzling blue eyes live on in our hearts forever. Please join us as we celebrate Tracey's amazing life on March 20, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. Pacific Time at Haven of Rest with a catered reception after (please RSVP if you can make it to TraceyMemorial2023@gmail.com with number of people attending). The service will be streamed as well for those who cannot be physically with us. While Tracey loved flowers, she would ask that you use the resources instead to help one of the two organizations below or the similar organization of your choice in her name. Military Child Education Coalition https://www.militarychild.org/ Chew Dog Rescue https://www.chewdogrescue.org/ Thank you for being part of her amazing life.