In memory.

Additional biographical information about Mike provided from his brother John:

Tracey Michael Skotnik was born August 4, 1946 and died February 26, 1998.

Growing up and in Columbia schools, he was known as Mike.  To me he was "Bubba".   He graduated in 1964 and left by bus, almost immediately for college at what was then Arlington State College, now University of Texas at Arlington. 

When he went to Arlington, he started working various jobs while attending school full time.  At a hospital where he worked they already had a Mike, so he started going by Tracey and it stuck.

He married Christina Miller in 1967 and had two kids, Micheal and Julie.

He graduated from UTA with a BS in math and was working on a Masters in computer science, when he was accepted to medical school. 

He graduated from Texas College of Ostepathic Medicine in 1981 and did his internship in Moore, Oklahoma.  He left there and went to start his medical practice in Bonham in Fannin County, Texas, between Sherman and Paris in 1983 or 84.  He was the County Health officer and he provided a clinic for the Texas Department of Health.

In his general family practice he was known to be an excellent diagnostician.  He saw 30 to 70 patients a day.  He never scheduled that many, but he saw all "walk-ins" which boosted the volume and he stayed until everyone  was seen and treated.

He used to tell the older folks that what they really needed, Medicare would not pay for, but he was going to give it to them anyway.  A simple hug, "the milk of human kindness."

He was well known for being the old fashioned doc who made house calls.  In the summer especially, his office smelled like a road side stand at times, with all the fruits and vegetables that folks brought to him, some to pay their bill, some just because they wanted to do so.  He had drawn the line at them bringing animals, such as chickens and pigs.

He was a great brother and a truly great physician.  He was a boon to this community.

On February 26, 1998, he was returning from a house call, when he was in a car wreck and was killed.

Perhaps the greatest thing that he left the community was what the community often asked about.  That is, when he saw me or his family or friends, the parting words were, "I love you,"  accompanied by a hug.

I can say that over the time that we were together in Bonham, many people asked why we always said that and hugged each other.  On the day he died,  two people came to me and said that they then understood the words and the hugs.