Obituary of Rachel Traxtle

Rachel Traxtle, age 82 of Boise, Idaho passed away peacefully, Monday, May 31, 2021 in her home.  She was born October 4, 1938 in rural Malheur County, Oregon to Victor H. and Thelma H. Black Saunders.  She was the youngest of 5.  She had 3 sisters (Della, Juanita, Wilma) and 1 brother (Harvey).  She was a 1956 graduate of Baker High School.  She attended beauty school in Portland, Oregon.  There in Portland, she met James Traxtle and they were married 3 months later in Stevenson, Washington on October 9, 1957.  In 1964, they adopted their newborn son, Randy, and 7 ½ years later their daughter, Melody was born.  In their young married years, they moved frequently from job to job.  Eventually, they settled down in Walterville, Oregon (located just outside of Springfield), but Rachel had lived in the Springfield area for over 40 years. Rachel worked various positions as well as a fork lift driver for Agripac for 10 years.  She, then, went on to work for the University of Oregon as a custodian for 16 years.  She was a loving, devoted mother, grandmother and sister.  Her pastimes were catching up with family and friends, playing card games and bingo.  She was an avid reader and engaged in many of the activities through her local senior center.  She was preceded in death by her parents; 3 sisters; her son, Randy Traxtle; and 2 nephews.  She is survived by her daughter, Melody Child of Boise, ID; 6 granddaughters; 1 grandson; 4 great grandchildren; her brother, Harvey Saunders of Chubbuck, ID; a niece; and 2 nephews.

Those whose lives Rachel touched are invited to leave a message for the family on the Summers Funeral Home’s website at https://summersfuneral.com/

A service for Rachel was held on Saturday, June 5, 2021 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints building, 5900 Castle Dr., Boise, ID.  Burial was at Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise.