Travis Cody Traeger, 44

Travis Traeger, one of the most truly beautiful and loving souls to grace this world, “was called home” on Dec. 27, 2016. Travis was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer earlier in the year. Unfortunately, pancreatic cancer is vicious and ruthless in its attack; fewer than nine percent of patients will survive five years after being diagnosed. Although the odds were stacked heavily against him, Travis refused to give up and persevered valiantly against his attacker, even when going through daily regimens that would have made the rest of us mere mortals cry, “No more! No more!” long before.
Travis was born on Dec. 10, 1972, in Whitefish. He graduated from Flathead High School, attended Flathead Valley Community College, and completed his Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering at Montana State University. A born engineer, Travis loved taking things apart and rebuilding them — from his childhood toys, his vehicles as a teenager and young adult, to electrical systems on the Space Shuttle when he worked at Boeing (Yes, he was a “rocket scientist!”) to the laser photolithography systems that he worked with at Ultratech in San Jose, California, where he made his home.
Travis loved motorcycles, model helicopters, drones, travel and especially the ocean. The beach was a special place for him where he felt simultaneously calmed yet invigorated. All of that fades in comparison, though, to the love that Travis had for his family. He was that increasingly rare type of man who awoke each morning with a singular, laser-focused goal — to love, protect, support and provide for his family, wife Kasey, young son Austin, and their two Great Danes, Padme and Disney.
Those who must now demonstrate some of his strength and courage by persevering without him are Kasey and Austin, parents Doug and Ginny Traeger of Kalispell, brother Dan (Courtney) Traeger of Austin, Texas, grandmother Phyllis Picard of Culbertson, Montana, aunts, uncles, cousins (so, so many), nieces, Kasey’s entire extended family, and dear, beloved friends around the globe from California and Montana to Germany and Singapore.
A private celebration of Travis’ far too short life will be held later this spring.