Obituary of Tracy Marie Hollstadt

Tracy Marie Hollstadt died unexpectedly on Wednesday, September 25, 2024, at the age of 57. Tracy was working from her home in Eagan at the time of her death.

Tracy was born in St. Louis Park, MN, to Dennis Hollstadt and Judith Shaw Hollstadt. She was the third of four sisters. Her parents divorced, and when Tracy was five, Dennis married Rachel Nelson, who became her mother. Tracy and her sister Riki grew up with Dennis and Rachel in Apple Valley, MN.

Tracy graduated from Rosemount High School and St. Cloud State University where she studied business and information technology. After graduation, Tracy worked for International Multi-Foods in St. Cloud, Dallas, Denver and Milwaukee before coming back to Minnesota and working for her dad in his two businesses. She then joined Hollstadt & Associates, where she started her career recruiting technology professionals. At the time of her death, Tracy was working for ZEISS Industrial Metrology, a job and group she loved.

Tracy loved traveling, camping, skiing, competitive swimming and even playing piano. On an epic trip to the West Coast when she was six, she and Riki saw the mountains and the ocean for the first time. They learned to eat fresh crab. They stayed in a great uncle’s rustic cabin where the water was heated by the kitchen wood stove. A favorite memory and a wonderful family bonding trip.

The Hollstadts had a tradition with two other families of taking boats down the Mississippi from Hastings to Lake Pepin ,where they’d swim, water ski and spend the night. Several summers the Nelson clan rented cabins with parents, uncles and families. The Nelson cousins had a great time running free at the resort.

When Tracy graduated from college, she, Denny and Rachel spent a week together in Paris. They had all sorts of plans for side trips they would take. In the end, however, they just enjoyed walking the city together and discovering its hidden gems.

Tracy’s older sisters Margie and Kelly lived in Kansas City. Tracy spent quite a bit of time there, especially when her nephew Ben and nieces Caroline, Hannah and Haley were young. She loved hanging out with the kids. When in Minnesota, she entertained her nieces Megan and Melanie by being silly and playing with them.

For Denny’s and Rachel’s birthdays one year, Tracy and Margie gave them the opportunity to race NASCAR vehicles on the Kansas Speedway. The family showed up in bejeweled T-Shirts and caps cheering on Team Hollstadt.

In recent years, Tracy became the consummate crafter. Many kitchen drawers hold her perfectly embroidered dish towels. They really are too beautiful to use, but Tracy always said, “Use them.

I can make more.” She also made various card holders for the game of Hand & Foot, a family favorite, and she supplied beautifully diamond painted notebooks. You get the point! When card playing, Tracy was super competitive and wouldn’t let anyone get away with anything. It was a mistake to try to outwit her. She was too clever. Her laugh was so contagious that you couldn’t help but laugh along--even if you didn’t get the joke.

Tracy was a complex, serious and private person while also being the life of the party. We know that life goes on, but life will surely be duller without her and her love of color.

She was preceded in death by her grandparents, her father Dennis Hollstadt, her biological mother Judy Shaw, and her oldest sister Kelly (Hollstadt) Sobek.

Several years ago, Tracy started a biking group to ride the Minnesota MS 150 from Duluth to St. Paul. Her oldest sister Kelly was diagnosed with MS in her early 30’s.

Memorials gifts can be made to:

Minnesota MS Society

375 Kings Highway North, Suite B

Cherry Hill, NJ 08034

A private service for family and friends will be held on October 16th. Please contact a family member if you would like to be included.