Tracy Kilkenny Draughon

Tracy Kilkenny Draughon, 57, of Wilmington, passed away on Wednesday, March 13, 2024, at her home surrounded by her loving family.

Tracy Phillips Kilkenny entered the world at North Shore Hospital in Manhasset, NY on New Year’s Eve of 1966. She arrived soon after to a loving and fun home with five sisters awaiting their new play doll. With a vibrant mother and a gentle, quiet father who created magic, Tracy had a fun and loving childhood. As the youngest, she had the benefit of “big brothers” through the older sisters’ husbands. She loved them all greatly. At nine years old, Tracy moved to Florida and had an adventurous childhood swimming with friends in the Gulf, shuffling for sand dollars on sand bars, sailing, waterskiing, and pool hopping.

Tracy met her husband, Scott Draughon, while standing under a tree in downtown Raleigh, NC. A friend had thrown her shoe in the tree. Scott threw his clipboard at the tree and down came the shoe and forward went their life. He gradually took her all over eastern North Carolina as well as to live in the Caribbean and Ireland. After spending 11 years renovating a house on the historic register in Goldsboro, NC, she moved to her happy place in Wilmington, NC, getting close to what she felt like on the Gulf Coast in Florida during her childhood. 

Mothering AnneScott and Alexandra was her mission and purpose in life, and she enjoyed every minute of it. Her family was the most important thing to her and enjoying her adult children was equally as fun and fulfilling. Watching them grow into their own individuals was amazing to her, being proud of them and intrigued and inspired by them was a thrill and fun! Her caring nature extended to Daisy, her forever puppy. She spoiled Daisy, always bringing her on the boat and including her whenever and wherever dogs were welcome. 

Tracy was a great supporter of people’s aspirations. When her husband was deciding to go to medical school, she placed his stethoscope above his jacket, where he could see it every day to inspire him. She was equally as supportive of her girls. During their childhood, she was a girl scout troop leader to 20 girls in Greenville, NC. When they joined StageStruck, the children’s community theatre in Goldsboro, NC, Tracy was a part of that, too. Over the span of 13 years, Tracy drove her girls to and from rehearsals for 13 plays and volunteered behind the scenes as well, painting sets, gathering props, sewing costumes, and overseeing hair and makeup. She did all of this on top of participating in school fundraisers and volunteering at the school. 

Tracy had a passion for the arts, which she showed through her work with the Arts Council of Wayne County in Goldsboro, NC. She was a board member there for 11 years, including spending time as the president of the board. Art shows, exhibits, and fundraisers, she was always ready to help out, doing a lot of the decorating and planning for the events. She chaired their event Sunday in the Garden and made sure it was a beautiful experience for everyone. The arts were part of her personal life as well. She was a talented painter and created beautiful pieces of jewelry for her small business, Ella Kilkenny Designs. Decorating and party planning, an art within itself, were another passion of hers, which she pursued with her good friend Deb Tillman when they planned beautiful events under the name A Soirée.

In Wilmington, she continued to fuel her love of the arts by volunteering with the Cameron Art Museum’s visitor services as a docent. She also helped start The Next Chapter Book Club with a group of women in Landfall. In addition to her social endeavors, her charitable work continued in her membership with the Great Oaks Club and her work with Paws4People.  

Tracy loved yoga, pilates, boating, live music, and being outside in nature. She was a vibrant person who was determined to live life to its fullest. She is survived by her husband Scott, her daughters Alexandra and AnneScott, her sisters Rory (Jerry), Alicia (Danny), Becky, Tammy (Bill), and Shawn (Dave), her sisters-in-law Susan (Doug) and Jill (Lou), and her mother Marie Kilkenny. Our heartfelt thanks go out to everyone who was there for her during the past year. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Paws for People and the Cameron Art Museum in her name. 

A Celebration of Life will be held from 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm on Monday, March 18, 2024, at Dockside Restaurant and Bar on the South Deck.

Shared memories and condolences may be sent to the family by selecting Tribute Wall above.

Quinn McGowen Funeral Home – Wilmington

910-794-7171

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