Barbara E. Traxler

TRAXLER, Barbara E.
Kalamazoo Passed away Sunday, January 27, 2013. Barbara was born November 18, 1925 in Kalamazoo, a daughter of the late John and Gladys Bullard Storteboom and was a lifelong resident of Kalamazoo. On March 8, 1946, she married Harold Traxler, who preceded her in death on November 24, 1999. She was also preceded by her sister, Lois Kreling. Barbara is survived by her children: Marsha John Reeves of Ann Arbor, Jerry Suzanne Traxler of Mattawan and Wendy Henry Norton of Middleville; 6 GRANDchildren; 5 GREAT grandchildren. She traveled to Africa, China, South America, Australia, Europe, New Zealand, The South Pacific and Alaska. She loved skiing, square dancing, golf, bowling, bingo, time with family, Milwood Methodist Church, and reading slightly trashy novels. She was a lifelong member of the Kalamazoo Women's Bowling Association, KWBA. She started her neighborhood MSU Extension group, and attended numerous College Weeks for Women. As a result she was instrumental in introducing many things to her neighborhood, like pizza and tacos. She worked at The Upjohn Co. before she started her family, and at Elzinga/Hoeksema greenhouses when she was an empty nester. She helped her children to develop a love of the natural world and taught them to be good people. Barb spent her last months with the beloved family of Bickford Cottage in Portage. Memorial services will be held on Thursday, January 31, 2013 at 11:00 AM in the Milwood United Methodist Church, 3919 Portage Rd. The family will receive friends at the church on Thursday beginning at 10:00 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be given to Hospice Care of Southwest Michigan at: www.hospiceswmi.org . Arrangements by Langeland Family Funeral Homes, Memorial Chapel, 622 S. Burdick.