Samuel Tracy Coldren

Samuel Tracy Coldren, of St. Charles, MO, passed away peacefully on June 16, 2026, a few weeks shy of his 83rd birthday, surrounded by his family after a lengthy battle with cancer and its complications.

Sam was born on July 2, 1943, in Burlington, IA and grew up in Park Forest, IL, in the Chicago suburbs, a fact that sealed his fate as a lifelong Chicago Cubs fan. That allegiance never wavered, even though he spent his entire adult life in the heart of Cardinals country, a contradiction he carried with good humor and quiet stubbornness. He also earned the rank of Eagle Scout, an honor that remained meaningful to him throughout his life.

He is survived by his wife of nearly 59 years, Patricia (Dooling); his daughter Lisa (Dan) Cavanaugh of Oklahoma City, OK; his son Brian (Brenda) Coldren of Knoxville, TN; and his grandson Owen Coldren. He was preceded in death by his parents, G. Tracy and Esther Coldren.

By his own account, Sam was a formidable athlete in high school and college, a claim his family accepted largely on faith. Tennis and basketball were his best sports in his younger years, but he also showed a talent for bowling, silencing any remaining skeptics by rolling a perfect game at St. Charles Lanes. What was never in doubt was his lifelong devotion to sports and to the people who played them.

Sam coached Lisa's and Brian's youth softball, baseball, and basketball teams, and later spent countless evenings and weekends as an official for men's competitive basketball leagues and as an umpire for men's fastpitch softball. Those who competed under his watch knew him for his steady, consistent, and fair approach. In 2013, that reputation was formally recognized when he was inducted into the St. Charles County Amateur Sports Hall of Fame as a fastpitch umpire, an honor he received with genuine pride.

Sam's deepest legacy was simply showing up. He was a fixture at every game, meet, or performance Lisa and Brian had as kids. Later, when each of them married spouses connected to college athletics, Sam became an enthusiastic and devoted fan of every program they were part of, traveling whenever possible to cheer them on across the country. Sam’s love of sports eventually turned Patricia into a baseball fan, and she now regularly watches MLB games regardless of the teams involved. In turn, Pat’s love of literature helped make him an avid reader, though his taste in novels did not always reflect the more refined works she taught. In quieter seasons, he and Patricia would travel together, always eager to discover somewhere new. When grandson Owen arrived, Sam found one more reason to be present, this time at the card table or over the puzzle box, where winning mattered a little less than it once had.

In lieu of flowers, the family welcomes donations to the National Multiple Sclerosis Society, an organization close to his heart that he supported through charity walks in Oklahoma City and from home in St. Charles.