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Tracy's obituary

Tracy Allyson Finan (Howard), 61, of Tallahassee, Florida, loving wife, mother,

sister, aunt, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Friday, April 5, 2024,

after a courageous battle with breast cancer.

Tracy was born on September 12, 1962, in Alexandria, Louisiana. She grew up in

Fort Walton Beach, FL, and graduated from Choctawhatchee High School in 1980.

She attended Auburn University from 1980 to 1983 with an emphasis in Paralegal

Studies. She returned to Fort Walton Beach and later attended Court Reporting

school and became a licensed court reporter working in all areas of law. She was

the President of the Florida Court Reporters Association from 2021 to 2022. Her

final assignment as a court reporter was working for Judge Heather Lanier in the

South Georgia Judicial Circuit of Georgia. She was a court reporter for over 25

years.

On March 10, 2012, she married the love of her life and best friend, Patrick Finan,

and they were married for 12 years. Their relationship spanned over 47 years

meeting for the first time while attending High School in Fort Walton Beach.

Together they raised her daughter, Allison Robinson (Lefebvre) and her three

stepsons, Thomas Finan, Carson Finan and Casey Finan.

Tracy’s passions were traveling, hiking, going to the beach, gardening, wine

tasting, attending FSU and Auburn football games, her beautiful Doberman Draco,

and getting together with her girlfriend group since high school, called the Island

Quart Girls. Her radiant personality, beauty, spirit, positive and joyous attitude was

a light to everyone who knew her. Her family and friends meant everything to her.

Her dedication to her family, friends, her work, and community is her greatest

legacy.

Tracy is preceded in death by her mother, Florence Sue Hayre; father, Loris Davis

Howard; brother, Clint Howard; sister, Toni Destin (Howard); and sister Jackie

Karst (Howard).

Those left to treasure Tracy’s memory include her husband, Patrick Finan;

daughter Allison Rae Robinson (Lefebvre); son-in-law, Matt Robinson, stepsons,

Thomas Finan, Carson Finan and Casey Finan; sister, Vickie Chezem (Howard);

brother, Billy Zack; dear friends, Tim and Sharon Smith, and countless nieces and

nephews, friends, and family.

There will be a celebration of life service held in Fort Walton Beach, to be

announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations for the University of Florida College of

Veterinary Medicine can be made out to the University of Florida Foundation Inc.

and mailed to 2015 SW 16th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32610 attention: Office of

Advancement. Please note in memory of Tracy Finan in the memo area. Tracy had

a deep love for the Doberman Pinscher breed, donations will support research in

Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) to help advance the treatment of the disease.

Donations can also be made to the Florida Court Reporters Association, for

Legislative Boot Camp training for FCRA’s state leaders. www.fcraonline.org,

6116 SE Turn Leaf Trail, Hobe Sound, FL, 33455.

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Mrs. Tracy Finan