Tracy Karl Lewis, beloved husband, father, brother, and grandfather, passed away on August 26, 2024, in Syracuse.

Born in Colorado, Tracy spent much of his early childhood in Ethiopia before his family settled in Potsdam. This experience planted the seeds of the endless curiosity, love of learning, and openness to his fellow humans that defined his life. A graduate of Dartmouth College and Brown University, Tracy was a teacher for 46 years. This included 36 years as a Spanish and Portuguese professor at the State University of New York in Oswego, where he was named a Distinguished Teaching Professor. His passion for teaching showed every day in his classroom, where he regularly showed up in silly costumes, led his students in elaborate role playing games, and hatched practical jokes, all to teach vocabulary, grammar, and conversation. He took each of his students seriously, encouraging them to pursue their dreams and even inspiring a new generation of teachers.

Tracy was fascinated with languages, teaching himself Guarani, Italian, Amharic, and more. He developed an intense love for the literature, languages, and culture of Paraguay, and made many trips and lifelong friends there. He found poetry in everyday life, and he published three books of poems in English, Spanish, and Guarani. He was a longtime lay reader at St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Liverpool.

Genuine and open, Tracy found ways of instantly connecting with every person he met. He saw the good in everyone, approached each conversation with deep interest, and related to everyone as unique individuals, truly speaking their language. He was devoted to his family, was loved and respected by all who knew him, and his joy for the small things in life was contagious.

He is survived by his wife, Audrey, his daughter, Megan McConville (Andrew), his grandsons, Louis and Samuel McConville, his brother, Gordon (Karyl) and other beloved family members, including his aunt, Erma Agresti, his brothers-in-law, sisters-in-law, nieces, and nephews.

A private family service was held.

Please sign the Maurer Funeral Home online guestbook for Tracy to express your condolences to his family.