By Jack DeGange

Carpe diem—seize the day—could easily be Tracy Haddock’s credo.

“You have to love life and love your family because you never know what’s ahead,” said Haddock, who isn’t the first woman to work in the field on construction crews for Trumbull-Nelson, “but I think I’ve done it longer than any other.”

Tracy joined the T-N construction team five years ago, about the same time that her younger daughter, Sara, was diagnosed as a diabetic. Those were difficult days that involved countless hours of medical care and education for Sara (now 11), her mother, and her older sister, Amber, as they worked to understand and manage Sara’s illness.

Family medical crises aren’t new to Tracy. When she was 18, her mother was a cancer victim. Her father is doing well after undergoing heart transplant surgery seven years ago.

“I’m thankful that (president) Larry (Ufford) and (operations manager) Nate (Carey) have been so understanding,” said Tracy. “Trumbull-Nelson has supported me and my family. During one annual review I was asked if I could reduce my time lost from work. I said, ‘When my daughter is well.’ The company has stuck with me and I’m grateful to them.”

Sara’s health is under control these days. Tracy has learned all about diet management: She can tell you the number of carbohydrates in two Oreo cookies (among Sara’s favorite foods) and she can automatically scoop a half-cup of mashed potatoes at dinnertime.

Grateful for T-N management’s patience as Sara’s health stabilized, Tracy is proving her value to the company as a worker with an eye for detail, a concern for safety, and a willingness to handle any assignment—pounding nails, driving a forklift, installing siding, pushing a broom—though she admits she’s not big enough to manage a 16-foot plank alone.

“I’m a hands-on person,” said Tracy. “I even change my own oil.”

Tracy is proving her value to the company as a worker with an eye for detail, a concern for safety, and a willingness to handle any assignment.

She came to this area nearly 15 years ago from Michigan. “I had learned to be a baker and was working for a discount grocer. Frankly, I needed a job that would pay me enough to support my family. A friend suggested I apply for a job with Trumbull-Nelson. It’s worked out well for me.”

Being mindful of on-site safety is expected of every T-N employee and it’s something that Tracy takes to heart. “I’m interested in safety issues,” she said, “not just my own but everyone on the site. I try to look out for everyone. People can get hurt by sometimes overlooking the simplest thing. I take it on myself to care and take pride in our work.” It’s an attitude that has earned her a place on T-N’s Joint Loss Prevention Committee.

Since joining T-N, Tracy has gained substantial experience working on a variety of commercial, institutional and major residential projects. Her performance earned her selection earlier this spring to join Brett Carey, a T-N project supervisor, at a week-long training session in systems-engineered building construction at Butler Manufacturing in Kansas City.

“It’s an opportunity to learn more about the business,” said Haddock. “I appreciate the company’s confidence in me. Construction work involves constant change and I like the feeling of good work accomplished.”

Family and work at T-N consume most, but not all, of Tracy’s time. When she’s not attending to her daughters and the family dog, she often puts her skills to use on various weekend building-repair projects with her husband, Butch Ruggles, a building contractor.

And, with good weather at hand, they’ll find time for touring trips on Butch’s Harley-Davidson motorcycle. “I leave the driving to Butch,” she said, “and enjoy the views.”

Good health for Sara, watching Amber provide volunteer assistance to a neighbor who is fighting a debilitating illness, and opportunity with Trumbull-Nelson now define Tracy’s days in the aftermath of trying times.

“I don’t lead a dull life,” she said, “because life is too short.”

Carpe diem.