Tracy Collins Schwartz began helping people when she was 12 years old.
“She started out as a candy- striper,” said Bob Collins, her father.
Schwartz went on to devote her life to such causes as the Montessori School of Denver, the Denver Children’s Home and, especially, Warren Village, an organization dedicated to helping low-income, single-parent families.
Last week, Warren Village introduced its new “Tracy’s Bus” in memory of the 41-year-old mother of three who died suddenly this year.
“She loved that project, and they loved her,” her father said.
Warren Village offers subsidized housing to single parents, often women who have escaped domestic violence, and their children. The program also offers evening life-skills classes in nutrition and budgeting, and has an early-education child-care program that serves 135 children.
In February, Schwartz went to the hospital with flulike symptoms. She died of complications with myocarditis, an infection that leads to heart failure. She remembered Warren Village in her will.
Her husband, Dr. Evan Schwartz, and her sister sat down with Warren Village officials and decided to fund a much-needed new bus.
“We had an old, old van,” said Larry Georgeson, education director for the Warren Village Learning Center. “It was unsafe.”
The new 14-seater is installed with booster seats, allowing 3- and 4-year-olds to participate in activities. On the side of the small yellow school bus, red letters declare it’s “Tracy’s Bus.”
“She’d be thrilled we are creating this opportunity for the staff and kids. We love the fact we were able to do this,” Evan Schwartz said.
He describes his wife of 10 years as devoted, loyal and selfless.
“She was so modest; she would not want her name on the side of a bus,” Evan Schwartz said. “But we knew she would want her legacy to be carried out, and we wanted the children to associate her name with something important.”
The couple’s three children are daughters Wylie, 8, and Hayden, 6, and son Weston, 3.
“She always brought them to events at Warren Village. The kids were very aware she was so committed to helping people who aren’t as fortunate,” Evan Schwartz said.
Tracy was a volunteer at Warren Village for 12 years, sitting on its board of trustees. The staff will dedicate the $54,000 bus in a ceremony next month.
“Warren Village is blessed to be the recipient of this wonderful new bus,” said president and chief executive Sue Mohrman. “Tracy cared so deeply for our mission; we would gladly give the bus back to have her with us.”
Sally S. Ho: 303-954-1638 or sho@denverpost.com
