Helen Patricia Tracy

HELEN PATRICIA TRACY (to her friends “Patsy”), beloved mother, grandmother, patriot, and valiant daughter of God passed through that thin veil between this life and the next on 7 July 2025, in Provo Rehabilitation and Nursing, Provo, Utah.

Although she had had many strokes and mild heart attacks throughout life that would’ve stopped most, mom always managed with a “Rocky” like determination to pick herself up off the mat. But when God has you circled in ink on His Cosmic Calendar your number is up, and mom went down for the count by a massive double stroke at age 89 where she finally “rang the bell…”

Speaking of ringing bells, when life got tough (which growing up in relentless poverty tends to get) she often said, “Never ring the bell…” Nevertheless, mom possessed a highly unusual talent for relentlessly wringing out the most villainous villains and most angelic angels from whatever town we lived. It really did seem they were drawn to her. Characters so unbelievably bad and good that the great author Charles Dickens would’ve relished her life as a banquet for his imagination. He had his Oliver Twist and we have our Olivia Twist!

This is not your usual obituary, for mom was not a usual citizen of earth. Born 5 April 1936 in Rushville, Illinois by a kerosene lamp to exceptionally poor George and Daisy Bernice Tracy. Her father had an exceptional talent for being able to play (yes, play) whatever instrument he laid his hands on, but an equally exceptional talent for not being able to provide for his family. Mom, being the second youngest of eleven siblings and the only dependable child at age five, was commandeered at the humane hour of 3 AM to drive a model-T delivering doughnuts for her father’s latest gig - a bakery - by strapping boxes to the pedals so her tiny legs could reach them while the rest of her older siblings slept. Later bankrupt, her parents too poor to feed little Patsy, abandoned her at an orphanage; but an angelic aunt Caroline and Uncle Bob rescued her, taught her to read, write, play piano and which side of the plate the salad fork went… Paradise was, as earthly paradise usually is, short-lived. Her parents demanded her return home! And her older siblings welcomed her return by getting out of bed long enough to rob her of every nice clothing she had.

Mom had many stories of living near and playing by the Nauvoo Temple during her childhood and playing with its temple stones. Or playing baseball with the nuns that had set up a convent adjacent to the Nauvoo temple site. It makes perfect sense that because of her exceptional challenges she clung to the gospel that much harder. She loved, truly cherished, the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ and seldom passed up an opportunity to share the Good News, and its real plan of Happiness with others. She told us many times while growing up that if it hadn’t been for the gospel she would’ve “rung the bell” long ago. The Gospel gave her hope as it meant, “God knows what He’s doing…” One of her happiest memories as a child was being baptized in a stream. She always loved it when the missionaries came to visit, and she has known from a young age that the Gospel of Jesus Christ is True.

Mom moved to Chicago where she met Sylvester Mark Hulet, whom she married in 1959. They were blessed with three children and settled in California. Mom considered it a great honor to be mother and housewife and thrived in her callings. Alas, as stated previously, she had a talent for drawing the most villainous people to her, and the husband whom she helped put through dental school rewarded her by running off with his oral hygienist leaving mom, an uneducated farm girl, very far from home with three young children. They divorced in 1968.

Throughout her life, mom was known by her near and dear ones as a hard worker. She worked all her life - from childhood until retirement. She was a nurse at Utah Valley Hospital for a time, which suited her personality well as mom was one who loved to nurture. She was blessed with the gift of empathy, and made people around her feel cared about. She also loved giving gifts, a heart as big as Texas… which included her mouthwatering orange caramel fudge and delicious oatmeal cookies!

Mom’s greatest accomplishment in life is the greatest accomplishment in any life: to remain faithful and true to her covenants with God and His divine son Jesus Christ despite insurmountable obstacles. Her youngest son always says that the greatest gift his mom ever gave him was the Gospel of Jesus Christ. No matter what stage of life she was in as a single mother, she always took her children to church on Sundays. Her legacy of the Gospel lives on in her children and grandchildren. We will forever and eternally be grateful.

There is a scene from The Chosen (mom’s favorite show) where Christ’s disciples recite the Dayenu, a song traditionally sang during the Passover to express their gratitude for God’s miracles during the Exodus. In the same spirit, we, her children would like to say:

Mom, if you had only given us the restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, and not money to eat, a home to live in, an education, and love, it would have been enough.

You gave us what matters the most, and blessed be the name of our God for it!

Mom is survived by her three children, Debra Hulet, Steven Hulet, and Grant Tracy, and her 9 grandchildren.

HOSANNA!