Shining ‘love-light’: Celebrating the life and legacy of Tracey Waring
News story by Matthew Kincanon | FāVS News
On Sunday, Aug. 18, St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church lost their beloved member Tracey Waring, a longtime parish administrator and lay minister. Known for her insatiable appetite to help others, she was also dedicated to her family, friends and community. People who knew Waring described her as an individual who lived her faith and walked the walk.
“She was a stalwart lay leader driven by a heart of gold, at the heart of a parish community,” Chris Jordan said on social media. He is a member of St. Andrew’s Bishop’s Committee and a Spokane County Commissioner.
“She’s the only person I’ve ever met who regularly used the term, ‘love-light.’ Hers shined brightly,” he said. “Spokane and the Episcopal Church have a little less love and light in them without her here.”
Waring showed up for others in countless small ways, especially when it came to helping those who struggled. She fed the hungry by the thousands, clothed the homeless, cared for those in prison and shared in the joys of others, Jordan described in his post.
“Spokane lost one of those extraordinary everyday people who — without seeking notoriety or recognition — simply does the work of making the world around them a better, kinder, more loving place,” Jordan said in his post.
An active social worker helping those in need
Waring put a lot of effort into assisting those experiencing food insecurity. The Rev. Jonathan Myers knew her since 2013. He worked closely with her during his four years as the vicar at St. Andrew’s. He said she would run a summer food program for kids at West Central Abbey to ensure they received meals while school was not in session.
As a trained social worker, Waring also found ways to mentor younger people going into the field.
She also used her background to help people beyond just feeding them, Myers said. She also took people to appointments, helped them get access to resources when they needed them and more.
One particular memory of Waring that stood out to Myers was when he was working with a family in West Central Abbey to get them housing. He called her for help. She worked with them over several months to get new IDs, access their social security, get a pickup registered to be legal on the road and more.
He said the family has been in a stable rental unit for a few years now, thanks in large part to Waring’s willingness to help and use her savvy knowledge of navigating the social service maze in Spokane.
The ‘spark plug’ of St. Andrew’s
Not only was she dedicated to people in the community, but she showed great commitment to the church.
The Rev. Kristi Philip had known Waring for nearly 15 years. According to Philip, Waring was involved in running the office, producing worship materials and relating to the neighborhood. This was on top of being a trusted and respected individual among her co-workers.
“She seemed to be kind of a ‘spark plug’ in the congregation, eager to gather people for meals and events,” Philip said.
Although Waring was not ordained, Philip said she was a “superb lay leader who truly loved St. Andrew’s and its people.”
A kind, dependable friend
To those close to her, Waring was more than an active member of the church. She was also a caring friend known to be dependable, kind and creative.
Jordan remembered how Waring arranged his grandparents’ funerals and his nephew’s baptism. She was also excited to help with his daughter’s upcoming baptism.
Philip said Waring would help watch her house and dog when she was away.
Myers described how Waring remained positive and hopeful amidst the most difficult of circumstances and times. She always thought there was a way forward. Not afraid to take risks at the church, she reminded people constantly of their responsibility to care for those in need.
“She rarely thought of herself and put others first, whether it was her family, her church or the down and out people who live on the margins of society,” Myers said.
Waring was 63-years-old. She died after a brief illness and injury. St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church will be holding a memorial service on Saturday, Sept. 7, at 2 p.m. For those unable to attend, it will be streamed live through the church’s Facebook page.
More information can be found about her in an obituary on Hennessey Funeral & Crematory’s website.
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