A Journey of Moments, Memories, and Ministry
There's a small town on Florida's east coast where our story began, where the roar of rockets shook the ground, lit up the skies, and was just part of the soundtrack of life. In the 60s and 70s, people lined the riverbanks as the world watched history break through the sky and the Space Race was on—but for us, something even more life-changing was taking shape.
While the world had its eyes on the stars, our eyes met under the glow of stadium lights on Friday nights. It was football season in the South—tailgates, marching bands, and the kind of friendships that made you feel like you belonged. We were two teenagers making music in the high school band, not knowing that God was already composing something bigger. Somewhere between rehearsals and road trips, laughter and late-night conversations, love quietly made its entrance. Wendell saw Tracy—or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, we found each other. And we just knew this was the beginning of something meant to last.
We were high school sweethearts who didn't waste time stepping into forever. And now, nearly 45 years later, our journey together has been marked by more than time—it's been shaped by love that deepened, faith that grew, and lessons learned in the valleys and on the mountaintops.
We've raised five incredible children—now grown, each writing their own stories—and our hearts have grown even wider with the joy of six beautiful grandchildren. Life has taught us how to be more than just a married couple; it's taught us how to serve each other with grace, to love with no conditions, and to choose each other—day after day, year after year.
Our path has taken us through the sacred spaces of ministry, where we've learned firsthand what it means to pour out and be poured into. We've walked through seasons of celebration and seasons of refining. And along the way, we've been blessed with lifelong friendships—brothers and sisters in Christ who are now scattered across the globe, each part of our story, our family of faith.
What we've discovered is this: it's not about the milestones we've reached or the things we've acquired. It's about the journey—the everyday moments, the quiet prayers, the shared laughter, and the whispered promises kept. It's the memories that mark us and the markers that remind us of God's hand at work.
Through it all, we've come to know God's faithfulness deeply. And now, in this second half of life, we are called—more than ever—to live out 2 Corinthians 1:3-4:
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God."
That's where we are now—walking in the grace we've received and offering it freely to others. Serving the body of Christ is not something we do but an extension of who we are.
This isn't just our story. It's our song of gratitude. And it's still being written—moment by moment, memory by memory, all by His grace.
We have been serving in different capacities for 40 years. Wendell has been in leadership positions at ministries and churches and was ordained to the ministry in 1995 by Peter Lord, Pastor of Park Avenue Baptist Church. He has also been counseling parents and students for over 30 years.
Tracy and/or Wendell have served on relief and mission projects in urban and international settings, as well as our local church and neighborhood.
Tsunami Relief Project Penang Island, Malaysia 2004-2005
NewYork City Relief for the homeless
Katrina Relief Project, Louisiana
Local projects, Nashville, TN
Service projects, Nicaragua and Costa Rica
Local community service through church and schools
Wendell
Masters in Education Leadership, Columbia International University
Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Nova Southeastern University
Professional Lifetime Superintendent Level Certification, ACSI
Trained leader for School Accreditation Team, ACSI
Ordained Minister, Park Avenue Baptist Church
Spacelab Processing Team Award, McDonnell Douglas Space Systems Company (MDSSC)
Pride in Performance Awards, NASA
Manned Flight Awareness, NASA
Silver & Bronze Quality Productivity Improvement (MDSSC)
Tracy
Artium Baccalaureate in Arts Administration, Summa Cum Laude, Rollins College
COO, Murray Tribe
Operations & Logistics, First Aid Officer, Counselor, Educator, Chef, and anything else needed to keep the family alive and healthy.
Don't let the shortlist of professional accolades mislead you. Here are a few highlights:
Learned HTML coding in 1998, the year after Microsoft Frontpage, Adobe Dreamweaver, and our 5th child was first introduced to the world
Wrote copy for school newsletters
Coached Middle School Girls basketball
Played in the orchestra pit for a theatrical production of Oliver
Homeschooled our children at various stages of their education
Where does your story begin?
What are your values, goals, and beliefs?
What do you want your legacy to be?