December 14, 1943 – April 16, 2023

Eugene “Gene” W. Trauger died peacefully in the early morning hours of April 16, 2023, at Magnolia Assisted Living in Houston, Texas. Gene fought a long, valiant, difficult battle with an indolent form of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma that developed into a rare type of secondary central nervous system lymphoma.
Gene was born on December 14, 1943, the middle of five boys, to Florence and Norman Trauger in Sellersville, PA. He graduated from Pennridge High School in Perkasie, PA, in 1961. When his number came up in the draft, as a devout Mennonite and conscientious objector, Gene served his I-W service at Valley View Hospital in Glenwood Springs, CO. After his two years of I-W service, Gene stayed on at the hospital, where he worked for 37 years, advancing his career to become the Director of Maintenance and Engineering. After leaving Valley View, Gene worked at Lowe’s in Glenwood Springs as the go-to maintenance man, then later drove bus for RFTA, until his health forced him to retire.
Gene married Sharon Yoder in 1967, divorcing in 1984. In 1993, Gene married Kathryn Hougland Shivley; they divorced in 2020.
Gene loved flying his single-engine airplane over the flattops and surrounding area and riding his motorcycle on the backroads and around Rifle Falls. He delighted in his grandson, Dominick.
Gene was preceded in death by his mother, father, and brother Vernon. He is survived by his son and daughter-in-law Doug and Iryna Trauger and grandson Dominick, of Glenwood Springs, CO; brothers Norman (Mildred), PA; Richard (Anna), PA; George (Charlett), OR, as well as many nieces and nephews. Gene is also survived by his sister-in-law Pat Trauger Gautier (Vernon) and former wives, Sharon Trauger, TN, and Kathryn Trauger Taggart, Glenwood Springs, CO; stepsons Andrew (Kate) Shivley, and Tade (Monica) Shivley, and their daughters, MacKenzie and Natalie, Rona and Alannah.
A devout Christian, Gene held fast to his faith to the end. Gene was a kind and gentle man and will be missed.
A celebration of Gene’s life will be held June 3rd, 2023, from 1 to 5 pm at Veltus Park in Glenwood Springs. Please bring your favorite memory of Gene to share with others. A second celebration of life will be held in Perkasie, PA at Deep Run East Mennonite Church on July 22nd, 2023, from 1 to 5 pm.