***Click HERE for Meredith's Celebration of Life Video***

Meredith R. Tracy, 44 of Bradford, Vermont passed away at home, with her parents and life partner holding her to the end, early in the morning on Wednesday, December 29, 2021, after a long struggle with neuro-degenerative brain disease (the aftereffects of surviving brain cancer and treatment).

Meredith was born September 20, 1977, in Minot, North Dakota while her dad was in the Air Force. By the time she was school age her family was back in Vermont, and she was in one of the last groups of kids that had elementary school (K-5) in four different one room schoolhouses in Pomfret. Then she was off to middle and high school in Woodstock, graduating in the top ten in 1995. Meredith was always a good student and worked hard for her excellent grades. Although she was not gifted athletically, she did participate in sports by being the manager for the boy's lacrosse and soccer teams. Meredith's main interests from a young age were writing and art. She had a special love of poetry and over the years became an exceptional poet.

Meredith decided on Wheaton college in Massachusetts to pursue her interests in the arts and creative writing.  In July of her sophomore to junior year (1997) life changed quickly as she was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor and had surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy treatment. After a very difficult year at home, she returned to Wheaton for her senior year and graduated magna cum laude in 1999.

In 2004, while pursuing her art interests she met a fellow creative artist, Jay Trefethen, who became the love of her life. Each year in May they celebrated the anniversary of their first date and before long they were living together. They bought a house in Bradford and filled with it with love and all manner of things displaying their wide interests in arts, crafts and literature along with their cats, currently Mookie and Hobbes.

The continuing damage from her treatments gradually impacted her ability to do so many things but never her positive outlook. Her wit, gentle personality, empathy, and kindness to others never left her. She never complained about her diminished abilities and accepted with grace all the indignities of personal care as her needs became greater. Meredith loved the saying, "Live well, laugh often, love much," and she did!

Meredith loved all of her friends and family deeply, and especially loved holidays, and apple pie (with her Mom's crust) instead of cake for her birthday. When she could no longer work Meredith participated in a day center, OSIP, enjoying her wonderful friends there, always with a smile and helping in any way she was still able. Meredith continued sharing her poetry with others including "Roots," a collection of poems about her cancer journey, hoping it would help others through theirs. Just recently she had a poem included in the latest anthology published by the DHMC Writing Circle. Meredith is remembered by all for her SMILE!

Meredith is survived by her parents, Carl and Kathy Tracy of White River Junction; her loving and devoted life partner Jay Trefethen of Bradford; Jay's mother, Margaret Johnson of Lincoln, Massachusetts; a special soulmate in being a survivor, Nichole Johnson of Peterborough, New Hampshire; many aunts, uncles, and cousins; and countless friends and acquaintances.

She was preceded in death by a brother in infancy, Joshua Tracy and her grandparents, Richard and Elaine Tracy and Robert and Lee Mordhorst.

We thank her amazing and wonderful caregivers and special friends Chris and Cindy Welsh and Emily Sanqueros for their deep caring and love for Meredith. Many thanks to Meredith's Hospice team from VNH including her special Katie.

A Celebration of Life will be held at 2 pm on Saturday, January 8, 2022, at Knight Funeral Home in White River Junction and will be live streamed and an informal gathering will follow until 4 pm. Please wear a mask and join us for a time of sharing and love.

Memorial donations in Meredith's memory are appreciated to Norris Cotton Cancer Center in thanks to the many providers who cared for her, particularly Dr. Camilo Fadul, MD, Louis P. Meyer, MS, APRN, and Dr. Vijay Thadani, MD, PhD.