Fred Tracy Whitney

July 17th, 1944-Sept 20th, 2025, 81 years old

Fred Tracy Whitney passed away peacefully on September 20th, 2025, in the early morning hours at Maine Medical Center. Fred was born July 17th, 1944, at the Bessie Libby House in Gray, Maine, son of Orin Colley and Edna Hawkes Whitney.

Fred graduated from Pennell School in 1963 and then, fresh off the farm at eighteen years old, shipped off to Fort Dix, NJ, and then on to Fort Belvoir in Virginia for basic training in 1964. After basic training, Fred spent his first year overseas in Thailand in the 809th Engineers. In 1965, Fred went to Fort Benning, GA, and then onto Fort Bragg, NC, and changed his MOS to crash rescue. After this, he was sent to Vietnam in 1966 from the Oakland Army terminal on the USS General Walker, along with roughly 5,000 other troops, where he served with the 173rd Assault Helicopter Company. When asked after his 81st birthday if he ever thought he would make it to 81, he replied, "I didn't think I'd make it to 30". After his arrival, and during this period, Fred helped build a road to the Laos border, which was later used to fight the war in Vietnam. After his honorable discharge with a designation of Expert Rifleman and various medals, including the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, and the Vietnam Campaign Medal, Fred returned to Maine, where he met his soon-to-be wife of 25 years on Higgins Beach in Scarborough, Virginia Billings. When asked about them meeting at all he recalled to his son "it was literally a fork in the road where I was wondering if I should go to the beach or go home, and I decided on the beach so lucky for you boys you were ever born !" During their 25 years together where there was always mutual respect and love Fred and Virgina worked hard and raised a family. During this time, Fred worked alongside his beloved brother Donald in a family tree business before heading off to pursue other interests. He then worked for a time at Hannaford Brothers and used his old pulp truck to haul junk cars, a lucrative business at the time.

Beyond the factual details of Fred's life, and just below the surface, lay a home to fiery passion, spirit, and caring, especially for animals, that few were lucky enough to honestly know. Fred's passing, when viewed with another lens, was the precipice of victory where he won his life's race by a nose and headed into the "Winners Circle" one final time. From the day he was born to the day he passed, Fred lived his life in full, unapologetic, wide-open strides, 100mph, his true spirit riding on the back of a triple crown winner, with no rip cords and no brakes. From his early days as a mischievous son working hard on the farm and speeding over the flats in his Corvette, to his time as a young man fighting for his country in the jungles of Vietnam, Fred felt he was always "Running through Jungle" as Creedence Clearwater Revival would say. After his family years as a loving father and husband, Fred entered the world as a poker player, with appearances in the World Series of Poker in the 90s, and as a horse enthusiast, caretaker, and trainer. He loved to "push his luck. Fred was part of many horse racing teams throughout the country where they enjoyed countless racing victories in the winner's circle. "After nearly losing his life on several occasions in Vietnam, and later from the effects of Agent Orange, and once again in 2018 after a medical episode, Fred and his family joked he seemed to have nine lives like a cat, and always was able to come back from falling off a cliff. It was during his ninth life that Fred found his stride in life. With the strength of a survivalist soldier, and the spirit of the thoroughbred triple crown winner Fred, much like early in a horse race, who is fighting for position, taking the bumps from other horses, and running blind from the spitting mud, always focused on the end goal, never giving up. Fred absorbed hit after hit and kept coming back. Finally, having been home for his last twelve years, Fred started to break free from the pack in his race and found his winning stride. As a gambler says, "Fred was getting hot in life," and he knew it. After all the bad beats earlier in life in the war, Fred was fully ready for his newfound hot streak and, as a seasoned gambler, knew just what to do with it. He began to excel in everything he did in life. As Fred strode to the finish line on September 20th, everything he touched was turning to gold. Still, the biggest prize for Fred that was hurting his heart the most was reconnecting with his family, which he had achieved. It was in Fred's final stride, his last 10 years, that he was able to powerfully and meaningfully reconnect with his sons, his sister and brother, close, long-lost friends, and, most importantly, his own heart. Fred's life was much like the Carly Simon song "Coming Around Again," especially with her lines "I know nothing stays the same, but if you're willing to play the game, it's coming around again. So don't mind if I fall apart, there's more room in a broken heart". And Fred's heart was broken too early in life by Vietnam. He had fallen apart many times over, from all he had seen and experienced, but, as a true soldier, he got up again and again, pushed forward, played life's game masterfully, never gave up, and just as Carly Simon promised, love came around again. It overflowed his broken heart with peace and love.

Fred is predeceased by his mother and father, Edna H. & Orin C. Whitney, and his brother, Donald Whitney.

Surviving are sons Dean and Darren Whitney, daughter-in-law Sonia Dore, sister Aubine W. Dingwell, along with grand stepdaughter Catherine Rico-Dumas, her wife Vannick Rico-Dumas, grand stepdaughter Emilie Dumas

In lieu of flowers, the family has asked for donations be sent to the America Legion Auxiliary Post 86.

There will be a graveside service on October 10th, 2025, at 11am at the Gray Cemetery in Gray, ME, followed by a reception at the Gray Legion in Gray Post 86