Hy Traurig

Born Herman (named after an uncle killed in World War I), Hy was born in the Bronx in New York City on April 7, 1937. He was the second of twins, to Philip Traurig and Bessie (Werksman) Traurig. He was the youngest of their 4 children and the only son.

He attended Hebrew school and made his Bar Mitzvah at age 13.

He had multiple jobs while growing up: helping the ice man deliver ice by truck; newspaper route; soda clerk; dry cleaning store clerk and delivery person.

After one year of college, he joined the Air Force, where he learned his love of and aptitude for teaching. He trained as a Communication Center Specialist and served from 1955 to 1959 in Wyoming and Alaska as a teletype operator. He received honorable discharge in 1959.

When he returned to New York City, he completed work on his BS in Education from the City College of NYC with certification in Special Education. He taught special education classes at elementary level in Spanish Harlem for 1 ½ years. He received a National Defense Education Act grant for specialization in Education of the Culturally Deprived to the renowned Bank Street College of Education in NYC and received his Masters Degree in Guidance. He taught special education classes in an experimental middle school for collaborative community/school district involvement in central Harlem. He then was Coordinator for special education classes for the mentally retarded and a teacher at a junior high school in upper Manhattan for five years.

In 1971, Hy was recruited by UT Austin for a Fellowship to their doctoral program in Special Education Administration. He worked for the U.T. Office of School Surveys as an Administrator to help complete a statewide directory for the developmentally disabled and as Consultant to various school districts on the development of special education plans. He completed a year-long doctoral internship in Waco, Texas as the Supervisor for programs for the emotionally disturbed while taking additional classes at Baylor University. He completed all academic requirements for a PhD. He discontinued the studies prior to completion of his dissertation.

For the next 19 years, Hy worked as a Supervisor of Elementary Special Education and monitor of compliance with federal law regarding special education for the Austin ISD.

He changed his name to Hy Traurig in 1979.

Hy married Linda Stakely, an Ohio farm girl who had come to NYC to further study pediatric nursing at Columbia. Linda was Roman Catholic and, because of their religious differences, they spent hours and hours discussing those differences and how it would impact their future life together. What they discovered was that they both worshipped the same God and they both felt their lives should be lived in service to God, Hy through teaching special needs children and Linda through nursing sick children. They determined to follow both religions in their home and to educate their children in both religions. Hy said that, although he would not become a Christian, he was bothered by the fact that his parents always sent their children to synagogue but they, themselves did not go and he thought it was important for the children to see both parents worshipping. So he made a vow that he would always attend Sunday services with the family….and he did. Hy and Linda were married for 38 years.

Hy and Linda had 2 daughters, Kathleen and Julia. Julie was quite ill with an immune disorder (not AIDS) and died when she was 2. The death of their child is the most painful thing parents can endure but, as they knelt side-by-side nite after nite and recited Christian prayers and the Kadish, the Jewish Prayer for the Dead, they eventually were comforted by knowing that this child was safe in the care of God and this is our ultimate hope for all our children.

While in Waco, Hy and Linda became foster parents for medically fragile children. On their return to Austin, they adopted 2 special needs children. They became involved in Marriage Encounter and worked with this program for several years.

They headed up the Pre Cana Marriage Preparation Program for the Catholic Church for over 10 years and helped present hundreds of workshops impacting over 10,000 engaged couples during that time.

Hy spent several years involved in his daughters' sports programs in soccer and kickball.

In 1985, Hy and Linda were called to set up a home for babies with AIDS and they began the work and training in preparation for this. Hy even eventually completed classwork and practical training as a Nurseas Aide at Austin Community College in order to be better trained. In 1988, they founded FAITH Home and, over the next 16 years, as volunteers, they cared for 57 babies and children with HIV/AIDS and those in need of hospice care. They adopted and were guardians or shared custody for many of the babies. The Home closed in 2004.

Hy and Linda received the following awards and recognitions for their work at FAITH Home:

In 1998, “Five Who Care” award from KVUE TV and AMD; 1998, “FAITH Home Day on July 11, 1998” – Proclamation by Kirk Watson, Mayor of the City of Austin, Texas; In 1999, “Golden Rule Award” finalist by J.C. Penney; In 2000, “Hometown Hero” by KEYE and the CBS Network; In 2001, “Governor's Volunteer Award” by Governor Rick Perry with Reception at the Governor's Mansion.

In 2008, at age 71, continuing a lifetime of learning and service, Hy completed a course of training in the Pflugerville Police Department Citizen Police Academy.

Hy is predeceased in death by his parents, his daughters Julia Traurig and Kathy Holguin, his twin sister Lois (Traurig) Warm, and his sister Jeanne (Traurig) Cacopardo.

He is predeceased by Janay, Derek, Brian, ZoraRose, Kenny, Jayan, Ta’Liyah, Mehki.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; his daughters Sabrina Traurig of Pflugerville and Mary Traurig and Crystal Traurig of Austin; and his grandchildren Claudia and David Holguin and Zorian Staten, all of Austin.

Hy was baptized in Christ by the Pflugerville Community Church on June 27, 2010.

He passed to eternal rest on May 17, 2018 at age 81 years 1 month 10 days.

MAY HE REST IN PEACE