DES MOINES, Iowa—Tracy Lee Winters, 59, of Des Moines and formerly of Boone, passed away Sunday, September 24, 2023, at the Taylor Hospice House in Des Moines.

Tracy was born at the Boone County Hospital on June 25, 1964, the son of Shirley Irene Winters and John J. Winters.

Tracy was born with severe down syndrome and was cared for by his mother until becoming a resident and cared for by Genesis in Boone, until moving to Des Moines and becoming a resident in a home managed by Mosaic in Central Iowa.

Tracy’s family would like to thank the staff of Genesis and Mosaic for the care and loving support they provided Tracy throughout his life. You were all his second family and he was very happy and loved the staff.

Tracy was dedicated to the little jobs he had. In his younger years, Tracy worked for Iowa State University, helping with mailings and helping with housekeeping for offices. He later worked several years for Good Connections Redemption Center in Boone. He loved his work and never complained. Tracy was like the mailman back in the day, dedicated to going to work no matter the weather. He would have worked for free but instead was paid $.38 an hour in 1999! You never heard him complain about his pay.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Shirley Winters and John Winters; brother, Robert L. Lovejoy; two brothers-in-law, Thomas Dawdy and Randy Cero; sister-in-law, Robin Lovejoy; and a niece, Amanda Dawdy.

Tracy is survived by his brother, Craig (Sandy) Lovejoy of Estes Park, CO; three sisters, Vicki Cero of Ankeny, Deb Dawdy of Altoona and Joleen Winters of Valdese, NC; sister-in-law, Eileen Lovejoy of Livermore, CA; and several nieces and nephews.

A private family graveside service will be held Thursday, September 28, 2023, in Linwood Park Cemetery, Boone.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the Schroeder-Reimers Memorial Chapel at Sixth and Marshall Streets in Boone. Online condolences may be left to Tracy’s family at www.schroedermemorialchapel.com