Andrew Paul Traczyk

MADISON, Wis. - Andrew Paul Traczyk passed away peacefully Thursday, Feb. 20, 2020, after a courageous battle with leukemia while surrounded by family and friends.

Andy was born on May 29, 1989, in Waupaca, to his mother Debby Irene Benjamin and father Joseph Paul Traczyk. At an early age, Andy and his family moved to Hurley, where he attended Hurley K-12 School until his high school graduation in 2008.

In 2006, Andy began working for his stepfather, Frank Lahti, as an auto technician at Lahti's in Ironwood, Michigan. In 2014 Andy took on a new challenge as an automotive photographer for Dominion Dealer Solutions in Wausau, where he lived with his loving girlfriend, Emily Cannon. Shortly after the birth of their daughter, Avery Irene Traczyk, in 2017, Andy, Emily and Avery moved back to Ironwood, in an effort to be closer to family. Andy then began work at Columbia Forest Products lumber mill in Mellen.

Throughout his life, Andy enjoyed snowmobiling, four-wheeling, and any activity that would bring him outdoors. His love of nature and adventure spiked his interest in photography while still in high school, of which Andy remained passionate about through life. Andy quickly became very talented, and began offering a variety of services including, but not limited to, wedding photos - family portraits and freelance landscape photography - where he became most widely known through his use of social media outlets.

Andy's appreciation for the arts extended beyond photography, and into music, as he would DJ at various venues throughout Wisconsin. Andy's involvement in such was of an artistic nature, and purely to demonstrate and share his abilities of creating unique rhythms through the use of his equipment. In the most recent years, Andy enjoyed raising the light of his life, his daughter Avery. He, Emily and Avery, would take long hikes together as a family. They also loved bringing Avery to the zoo, aquariums and public parks. Andy particularly enjoyed pushing Avery on the swings.

Andy is survived by his daughter, Avery Traczyk of Ironwood; mother, Debby "Haiikey" Benjamin of Montreal; stepfather, Frank Lahti of Montreal; girlfriend, Emily Cannon of Ironwood; brothers, Samuel Traczyk of Montreal, Cory Benjamin of Montreal and Joseph (Erica) Traczyk of Drain, Oregon; sisters, Karen (Darren) Keskey of Milwaukee and Tracey (Michael) Wilinski of Iron Mountain, Michigan; and numerous aunts, uncles, nieces and nephews.

Andy was preceded in death by his father, Joseph Traczyk, in 1995.

A celebration of life memorial will be held at a future date this spring.

"I like to look at the world as a gift and portray it in the most unique way possible" - Andy Traczyk, 2018.