To our community partners and supporters,
April 5, 1958 – February 26, 2020
Andy’s favorite headshot
by photographer Tieshka Smith
It is with a heavy heart that we share the news of Andrew Trackman’s passing on February 26th after a long illness. As our long time Executive Director, Andy was instrumental in nurturing Germantown United CDC from a volunteer board to a fully staffed organization making a big impact in Germantown. He joined our organization first as a board member in 2012 and transitioned into the Executive Director role as our capacity grew.
Andy was tireless in his pursuit of resources for Germantown and built strong relationships across organizations in the neighborhood. He always showed up and always followed through.
We are hurting and will miss him tremendously. Because of the foundation that he built, Germantown United CDC will continue to be strong and dogged in our quest to build, strengthen and unite the fabric of our neighborhood. We will do this to honor his legacy and the legacy of the neighborhood that he loved.
Andy stepped down as Executive Director late last year. Earlier this month, as we were preparing to inform the community of this transition, we asked him to put a few words down on paper. What he shared follows below.
Yours in Community,
Julie Stapleton Carroll
Board President
Services
Services
Services will be held Sunday, March 1, 2020 at 11am
Koller Funeral Home
6835 Ridge Ave, Philadelphia, PA 19128
Shiva
Family will welcome shiva visits on Sunday, March 1 following interment until 9pm with minyan at 6pm, and on Monday, March 2 from 3 – 9pm, with minyan at 7pm, 32 E Sedgwick St, Philadelphia, PA 19119.
Obituary
www.kollerfuneralhome.com/obituary/Andrew-Trackman
From the Desk of Andrew Trackman
“I can’t believe it’s been seven years since I joined Germantown United CDC as a Board member, attending a public meeting on February 29 – a leap year, and obviously a year filled with opportunity. In September of that year, I became the acting Board President. My goal was always to build Germantown United into a functioning organization; a business. I felt that was the only way Germantown could get the community development corporation it needed to do the hard work that was needed. Connecting with all the people associated with Germantown United has been a real honor and privilege; we found each other and recognized that we fit so well in our goals.
In all small nonprofits and businesses, one thing that always comes up in planning discussions among senior management is, “What if I get hit by a bus?” Unfortunately, that’s what happened to me, and the bus was the West Nile Virus. Because I had been treated for cancer since November of 2017, I must have been more susceptible to West Nile’s effects. West Nile effects the brain; for most of my hospital stay, which began in mid-September 2019, I was pretty out of it. After 4 weeks in the hospital, they determined what it was. I spent two weeks at a rehab hospital, and they got me back on my feet. During this time, I made the difficult decision to resign as full time Executive Director.
I want to thank all past and present Board members. Julie Stapleton Carroll, our Board President, and our Treasurer Mark Sellers have been very hands-on during this situation. Deputy Director Emaleigh Doley, NAC Manager Rhakeim Miller, Business Development Manager Amani Bey and Office Manager Josanne Ford have been keeping the ship afloat; and not just afloat but moving Germantown forward.
Seven years ago, when I became widowed, and got laid off from my corporate job, I knew I wanted to make a change in my life. My passions: historic preservation, community development, and arts and culture came to the forefront. There is no better place than Germantown where these three things come together.
– Andy
I really want to thank all of you in the organization and the community for allowing me to work here in Germantown, and to help work on building Germantown United CDC to be that organization that can best serve the community. Thank you again, and please continue to support our work on behalf of Germantown.”
It is not length of life, but depth of life.
Ralph Waldo Emerson
In lieu of flowers, and at the request of his family, memorial donations can be made to Germantown United CDC.
Germantown United will be renaming our annual “Pillar of the Community” award to be the “Andrew Trackman Pillar of the Community” award. He was truly that.
Gallery
Click to expand images.
