Donald Alphonse Traxler

Donald Alphonse Traxler passed away peacefully on June 19, 2026, at the age of 99, surrounded by family. Don was born in Le Center, MN on April 27, 1927 to Anne and Alphonse Traxler. He grew up down the block from the parish school along with his sisters, Lorene, Evelyn, and Peggy. He helped on his uncle’s farm alongside his cousin, Robert Lee, where they developed a brotherly bond threshing grain by horse-drawn thresher, milking cows, chopping wood, hunting and fishing.

After graduating from Le Center Public High School in 1944 at age 17, he enlisted in the Navy. During this time, he experienced memorable firsts--first Greyhound bus ride, first train, first ship, first airplane. He completed boot camp in Idaho and radio school in Hawaii before his assignment in Guam. In 1946, Don enrolled at St. Thomas College where he met his future wife of 71 years, Dolores, at the college infirmary. Don finally asked his favorite nurse to homecoming, and the rest is history. The next several decades were filled with working at Processed Potatoes/Northern Star Company, volunteering in the community, visiting relatives, raising his nine children with Dee, and attending their countless events at auditoriums, gyms, pools, sports fields, arenas and more.

He retired at 59 and spent his later years busier than ever. Don was an avid supporter of the University of Saint Thomas, Serra Club, Catholic Charities, Cretin-Derham Hall, Lumen Christi Parish, St. Paul Seminary College, St. John Vianney Seminary, American Legion Post 108 in Le Center and many other organizations. In his free time, he bicycled, golfed, read, and traveled the world with Dee, friends, and family. Some of his most adventurous trips were hiking in northern Minnesota and Norway with Quentin Hieptas, his dear friend of over 50 years. His favorites though were the many long walks over the years with Dee in the Saint Paul neighborhoods. Don delighted in his grandchildren, taking a genuine interest in their lives and in their plans for their futures.

Don was gentle, kind, and humble. He was the steady, calming presence at the center of an energetic family with his Catholic faith as his guide. He received many awards, but he was most proud of the family he raised with Dee. Those who knew Don were blessed to learn many valuable lessons from him such as, “Work hard, have fun, but most of all be good”, although his most important lesson was to value faith, friends, and family.

He will be profoundly missed by his sister Peggy Sass; sister-in-law Patty Amann; children Mary (Tom) Ozbun; Mike (Laurel); John (Linda); Kathy (Mike) Harrington; Tom (Colleen); Anne (Tom) Reinhart; Margaret (John) Newcome; Maureen (Greg) Barth; Teresa (Joe) Lawder; 33 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren plus two on the way as well as many nieces and nephews.

We are grateful that Don is reunited with his wife, Dee; grandson, Joey Lawder; parents Anne and Alphonse Traxler; siblings Lorene (Pat) Lawler, Evelyn (Bob) Nieland; parents-in-law Leona and Andrew Amann; in-laws Marion (Harold) Paul; Jack Amann; and Tom Sass; nephews Jim and Joe Lawler; friends Quentin (Sally) Hieptas and friends and family who have gone before him.

Thank you to the entire Carondelet Community, which has always loved and supported Don. A special thanks to the wonderful caregivers Estella, Jane, Lisa, Matt, Maria, Terese and Ray; the caregivers from Dignified Choice Care; and Katie with Optage Hospice, who loved him like family, cared for him like angels, and always treated him with dignity and respect.

Mass of Christian burial will be Friday, July 10 at 10:00 am at Lumen Christi Catholic Community, 2055 Bohland Avenue, St. Paul with Visitation one hour prior to the Mass at church. The Mass will be live-streamed and available at https://www.lumenchristicc.org/mass-times. In lieu of flowers, donations preferred to Catholic Charities and Cretin-Derham Hall High School. 

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.