Tracy Ellen Wardell, age 59 of Portage, MI passed away on Wednesday, April 8 due to complications of metastatic breast cancer. She was born to Carol Trhlik and the late David Fabel in Buffalo, NY. Tracy attended Technical High School in Springfield, MA before attending Western New England College, where she majored in chemistry and spent her career working on various environmental and pharmaceutical research projects. Family and friends were Tracy’s lifeblood. She loved being a Mom and was fiercely proud of her two sons.  She enjoyed sharing vacations with family and traveling wherever she could.  Being at the beach with her toes in the sand and the ocean breeze on her face was her happy place. Tracy was an avid gardener and a talented artist. She loved beadwork and tatting and there was no creative endeavor she couldn’t master. She loved the outdoors and nature. No matter what challenges Tracy faced in her life she remained optimistic and positive. She was always expecting things to go her way, and not surprisingly, they usually did. Tracy was amazingly resilient. She is survived by her two sons, Jeffrey Wardell and Aaron Wardell, her brother Eric Fabel and sister Beth Fabel, her mother Carol Trhlik and stepmother Donna Fabel. She is preceded in death by her father David Fabel and brother Cary Fabel. She leaves behind numerous other loving friends and relations.