Barbara D. Tracy

Barbara Delaine Koch-Tracy of Lima, Ohio, passed away peacefully on April 26, 2023, at the age of 59 at Rose Arbor Hospice in Kalamazoo, Michigan, after a two-year battle with cancer. She was born on October 18^th, 1963, the second of three children, to the late Gene and Gerry Koch.  Barbara graduated from Shawnee High School in 1982 and married Martin (Marty) Lesher in October of the same year in Bellevue, Michigan, remaining married for 26 years. In 2012, she met and married Karl Tracy and blended their two families together.  She is survived by her mom, Gerry Koch, brother, Gene Koch, and sister, Brenda Koch. She is also survived by her three children: Amanda DeVeaux (Trevor), Ashlynne Caswell (Seth), Austin Lesher (Tiffany) and Karl’s children: Charity Cerana (Jan), Lori Hoy (Brian), Christopher Tracy (Kaleigh) and Sarah Koshiro (Mike). Additionally, she is survived by 16 grandchildren: Bella, Hailen, Mackenzie, Lillynne, Kinsley, Hudson, Hendrix, Shawn, Carter, Lorelei, Everly, Peyton, Lennox, Tate and two more on the way. Her family finds comfort in knowing she has been reunited with her Father in Heaven.  Barb had a passion for life and experiencing the world’s natural beauty. Prior to her diagnosis, Barb and Karl shared a great enthusiasm for biking, hiking, and planning their next great adventure. Barb and Karl took joy in sharing their travels through video and photography, allowing friends and family to feel they were always with them. Together, they experienced the beauty of this country from coast to coast and many destinations in between. After her diagnosis, she became more determined to live life to the fullest. She fought hard, but more importantly she made the most of every day.  Barb serves as an inspiration to us all in how she lived life and her appreciation of the intricate beauty all around us.  In lieu of flowers, donations to Fight CRC can be made in her memory at https://fightcolorectalcancer.org/about/our-mission