Tracy A. Hollowood

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Tracy Antonia Hollowood of Cleveland, Ohio and Frederick, Maryland passed away peacefully on April 5, 2023, at the Parkview Patient Care Center – Cleveland Clinic after a lifelong battle with diabetes and an extended but stubborn battle with renal failure.  Like most adversity in her life, she faced this head-on with her usual mix of defiance and biting wit, refusing to back down.

Tracy was born on November 24 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She spent much of her formative years in Cleveland which developed her deep appreciation for the city and its people.  She is the daughter of Jim and Diane Hollowood (deceased).  She is survived by her sister Melissa Hollowood and her brother Glen and his wife Kelly Hollowood, and her stepmother, Judith Hollowood. She also has many aunts, uncles and friends in this world who loved her dearly as well. Tracy was godmother to Jason Lindeman. In addition, Tracy served as House Mother to many people considered cast aside, wayward, and often overlooked. She was a lifelong champion, tireless advocate, and supportive ally to the LGBTQ Community.  To Tracy, there were no strangers, only friends she hadn’t yet met.

Tracy held a degree in Graphic Design, attending Cleveland State University and Frederick Community College.

Tracy lived life! Her life was never short on excitement. She was loved by everyone that knew her. Tracy formed and grew friendships which enriched her life and the lives of those she touched. It was typical that a friend had known her for decades.  Some were newer friends of a few years – all of us adored her creative spirit and joy for life.  Tracy was a free spirit and enjoyed spending time with family and friends having cocktails, going to concerts, festivals, the theater and hanging out. She frequently planned a “Girl’s Night Out” to stay in touch with friends.  

She was a kind person, who on the cloudiest of days, would be a beam of sunshine. For those who had the pleasure of knowing her, they will never forget her memorable laugh and she was always laughing. She had a keen sense of humor and loved socializing. Tracy was known for her daily text message sharing humorous videos, memes, or witty phrases. She was a fan of Gregisisms’ Neighborhood on TikTok.  Tracy loved dogs, specifically Cody, Lula and Lilli, and would say hello to every dog that she saw. She loved animals and nature of all kinds. She spent a lifetime as an animal advocate, treating all animals with kindness and love, trying to make their lives better. For many years, Tracy was an active member of WAGS For Hope, a nonprofit organization that provides volunteers and their pets to visit nursing homes, assisted living facilities, hospitals and hospice centers. During her time with WAGS she trained two dogs who were certified to provide animal visitations for therapeutic purposes. Tracy’s dog Lula was one of the first pet therapy animals certified to visit Frederick Memorial Hospital.   

She was a lifelong learner. Tracy was also passionate about photography, art, and was a diehard Cleveland Browns fan. She was an avid Thrift Shopper.  She kept many stores in business with her love of shopping.  She perfected many of her artistic pursuits and hobbies into businesses including working as a professional photographer for weddings, birthdays, proms, and other special events.  She also served as a photography teacher at summer camp classes for elementary students with the Frederick County Parks and Recreation Department at Fountain Rock Nature Center and Pinecliff Park. Her art and artistic direction were also influential with the Great Heron Wetlands in Urbana, Maryland. During which time she helped teach the students nature photography and produced a calendar of their assembled works.  In addition, she was a wire-wrapped jewelry artist. She could bead, crochet, knit, paint, draw and grow a beautiful garden.  

She was also a businesswoman, a philanthropist, and a role model. She was a strong advocate for women’s empowerment, and she used her platform to raise awareness of important issues such as diabetes research and education. Tracy was an amazing cook who ran her own catering service briefly. Tracy had the gift of hospitality and enjoyed cooking for family and friends. She was known for her amazing potato salad which was always created without a recipe and could never be duplicated. Tracy spent many years in the hospitality service with many years served for Hilton Hotels and IHG Hotels. One of her favorite pastimes was shopping for gifts and treats for her loved ones. 

She was known for her unique sense of style, which was always timeless and classic. She loved to mix and match different pieces to create her own unique look. Often dressing in pastel shades and her favorite color pink. She was also known for her love of hats, shoulder bags and scarves. With multitudes of bags and scarves in her collection.  Tracy was known for her impeccable taste and her ability to put together a stylish outfit no matter the occasion. Her sense of style also transferred to her pets, especially her chihuahua, Lilli, who was very rarely seen in public without being in costume. Tracy would dress in costume for Halloween events, often winning awards for Best Costume.

Tracy was a lifelong lover of Broadway. She saw her first show when she was just a child, and she was hooked ever since. She loved the music, the dancing, and the stories. She saw every show that came to town, and she even traveled to New York City to see some of the biggest shows on Broadway. Often working lines and dialogue from these plays and shows into her conversation. Some of her favorite shows included Pippen, Company, and Avenue Q. She was a “Lady who lunched.”   It seemed that every art form she tackled, every challenge she encountered, and every person she met; she mastered, she conquered, and won over.   Leaving a little part of her spirit in everything.      

Somehow, Tracy managed to draw people to her – children, older folks, and everyone in between. Tracy was able to make each interaction truly engaging and make everyone feel special.  She was a frequent traveler, often visiting friends both far and wide. It was common for short weekend visits to turn into weeklong stays.  Literally, everyone that she came to know held her close.  She had such a beautiful heart and soul.

To say we are deeply saddened by this recent loss is an understatement.   She will be missed and remembered in the fondest ways.  Although Tracy’s passing is a great loss to her loved ones; she will forever live on in our hearts. She was a kind and generous person who brought love and happiness to those around her. We all have amazing stories of times with Tracy that we will never forget.  Let’s tell them to each other.   See below for details of the Memorial and a Celebration of Life event in her memory. In lieu of flowers, donations in Tracy’s memory may be made to WAGS For HOPE. You may also donate to have a memorial tree planted in her honor or volunteer your time with a local non-profit.

Services in Cleveland, Ohio will be held on: St Jerome Church, 15000 Lake Shore Blvd,   Cleveland, OH  44110, Friday, June 2, 2023   Service Wake & Visitation 11:00 – 12:00.    Mass at 12:00 Noon.

 

Services in Frederick, MD will be held on: Celebration Of Life Memorial Picnic, Middletown Park, 7628 Coblentz Rd Middletown, MD 21769, Saturday June 17, 2023, 5-7pm