Dr. William R. (O'Neill) Tracey, president of Human Resources Enterprises of Cape Cod, and former Deputy Commandant for Training & Education, U.S. Army Security Agency Training Center & School and Director of Training and Doctrine, US Army Intelligence School, Fort Devens, died Tuesday September 8, 2015 at Courville at Nashua, Nashua, NH. 

He was the loving husband of the late Kathleen L. (Doheny) Tracey, who died in October of 1997.  They had been married for 53 years.
 
One of six children of James E. and Pauline E. O'Neill and, following the death of his mother, he was adopted by Edward P. and Josephine M. Tracey. Dr. Tracey was born in Lancaster, MA and graduated from Leominster High School in 1940. He enrolled in Fitchburg State Teachers College in 1941, earning a bachelor of science in education degree in 1946. He continued his education at Boston University, receiving master of education and doctor of education degrees in 1950 and 1955 respectively.

Tracey enlisted in the Navy in 1942 and attended the Y-12 officer candidate program at Holy Cross College.  Following graduation from the U.S. Naval Reserve Midshipmen's School, Columbia University, NY in June 1944, he was commissioned an ensign.  He served aboard the landing ship LST 117 in the Pacific Theater from 1944 to 1946, participating in the invasions of the Philippines as gunnery officer and officer of the deck underway.  Tracey was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with battle star, World War II Victory Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal with battle star, Philippine Independence Medal, Naval Reserve Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal, and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. He was released to inactive duty as a lieutenant (jg) in 1946 and subsequently served as an aviation technical training officer with Naval Reserve antisubmarine warfare squadrons VS 913 and VP 912 at the U.S. Naval Air Station, South Weymouth until his retirement in 1969 in the grade of lieutenant commander. 
 
Dr. Tracey served as principal of the D.W. Adams School, Ashburnham, MA in 1947-48. In September 1948, he was appointed instructor in education at Fitchburg State Teachers College and, over the next ten years, was promoted to full professor of education, while serving as director of teacher training.

In January 1958, Dr. Tracey was appointed psychologist and educational consultant to the commandant, US Army Security Agency Training Center and School, Fort Devens, MA.  In that position, he served as the principal architect and director of a project that resulted in the publication of a manual describing a systems approach to the design of instruction - a manual that served as the model used by all of the Armed Services and many public and private organizations in the United States and Canada.

In 1962, Tracey graduated from the U.S. Army Management School, Fort Belvoir, VA, 1968 from the U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, PA., and in 1973 from the National Cryptologic School, Fort George G. Meade, MD.  He subsequently held the positions of director of instruction and deputy commandant for training and education at the U.S. Army Security Agency Training Center & School and later at the U.S. Army Intelligence School, Fort Devens, MA.

During his service with the Army, Dr. Tracey was responsible for the training of over 100,000 Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps officers, noncommissioned officers, enlisted, and civilian personnel in intelligence, cryptologic, and electronic warfare specialties for assignment worldwide. He received many awards for outstanding performance, including the Exceptional Civilian Service Decoration, the Department of the Army's highest civilian award, the Meritorious Civilian Service Decoration, its second highest award, and 22 Outstanding Performance awards. He retired from federal service December 29, 1982.

Since his retirement Dr. Tracey has served as a consultant to business, industry, government, and educational institutions in the United States and abroad on human resources management and development, training, and communication. His consulting clients included the National Security Agency, Continental Army Command, and several major US Army commands; the Swiss Hotel Association's School of Hotel Management, Les Roches, Switzerland; Pertamina, a petroleum exploration and production company in Jakarta, Indonesia; Esso Resources Canada in Alberta, Canada; Hesser College in Manchester, NH, and Macintosh College. Dover, NH.

Dr. Tracey is the author of I3 books published by the American Management Association of New York City, and more than 100 journal articles.  He also wrote a biweekly column for the Business Section of the Barnstable Patriot. He has written five volumes of poetry, Strands of Memory, published in 2004 by Trafford Publishing, Strands of Memory - Revisited, published in 2009 by iUniverse, Inc. and Strands of Memory - Reprised, Strands of Memory - My Swan Song, Strands of Memory - Epilogue published by Trafford Publishing North America & International in 2011 – 2014.

Dr. Tracey leaves six children and their spouses: William R. Tracey, Jr. and his best friend and partner Suzanne Dube of Sabattus, ME, Kevin T. Tracey and his wife Lin Li of Manchester, NH, Brian J. Tracey and his wife, Joanne (Brousseau) Tracey of Woodinville, WA, Kathleen L. Bastille and her husband, Dennis of Hollis, NH, Maura G. Tarbania and her best friend and life partner, Stephen Mottley of Rome, NY; and Sean M. Tracey and his wife, Lina (Carrillo) Tracey of Portsmouth, NH. Predeceased by his brothers James E., Francis X., and John J. O'Neill, his sisters Mary J. Kirby, Pauline R. Kidik, Margaret E. Natale, and Eileen A. Hendershaw, Dr. Tracey is survived by his best friend and companion, Else-Marie Bowe of Hyannis, MA.

Dr. Tracey also leaves 12 grandchildren, Tamra (Letellier) Lumpkin and her husband James of Hollis, NH, Jacqueline (Tracey) Munson and her husband Matthew of Bellevue, WA, Michele (Tracey) Coffman of New Castle, WA, Sean Letellier and his wife Leah (Brandon) Letellier of Hollis, NH , Laine (Tarbania) Tigges and her husband Benjamin of Rome, NY, William R. III, Timothy and Kathleen Tracey of Amherst, NH; Kolby and Kaylyn Tracey of Bedford, NH; Victor and Siara Carrillo Tracey of Portsmouth, NH; three great grandchildren, Kaila Lumpkin of Hollis, NH, Grace and David Munson of  Bellevue, WA, and many cousins, nieces, and nephews. He also leaves three godchildren, Jacqueline (Adams) Livermore of East Harwich, MA, William Camire, of South Yarmouth, MA, and Christine (O'Neill) de Sousa of Parede, Portugal.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 10 a.m. Monday September 14 in St. Pius X Church, Station Avenue, South Yarmouth.
 
Interment will follow at 12:45 p.m. in the Massachusetts National Cemetery in Bourne, with full military honors.

Visiting hours will be held from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday September 13 in the Hallett Funeral Home, 273 Station Avenue, South Yarmouth.
 
As an expression of sympathy, memorial donations may be made to the Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH 45250-0301; Fitchburg State University, 160 Pearl Street, Fitchburg, MA  01420-2697; Cape Cod Healthcare Foundation, P.O. Box 370, Hyannis, MA 02601; Cape Cod Community College, Route 132, West Barnstable, MA  02668; or to the Blinded Veterans Association, 477 H Street, NW, Washington, DC 20001-2694.

I know Sean Tracey and am an admirer of his work and thought. I didn't know his father but can easily discern that this truly was a man of the "greatest generation". A man deeply involved in things military and governmental, followed by a prestigious period in academia only to be highlighted by 3 volumes of poetry. This was truly a warrior poet and we, the world, mourn such a departure.

Dear Sean, You have our deepest condolences. Brian Connors and the cast of GOOD MEN ED ASNER & MARK RYDELL