Traxler was born in Kawkalin, Michigan, outside of Bay City. He attended the public schools there and following high school enrolled at Bay City Community Junior College and then transferred to Michigan State Univesity after two years. He received his bachelors from MSU (1953). Following his B.A. degree, he served in the U.S. Army from 1953-1955 and then completed his law degree at the Detroit College of Law (1959). He was elected to the Michigan House of Representatives from 1962-1974 and then elected to the U.S. Congress in 1974 serving until 1993. He then was elected to the MSU Board of Trustees from 1993-2000 and also served on the Mackinac Island State Park Commission 1992-2005. Traxler died on October 30, 2019. Topics/People Covered in Interview include: early life, education, military service, Michigan State House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives, MSU Board of Trustees, Mackinac Island State park Commission, campus in 1950s, Tom King, fraternities, Robert Fisher, Walter Adams, MUS Centennial, Democratic Party, Adlai Stevenson, Detroit College of Law, G.I. Bill, politics, George Romney, Bill Ryan, Jack Breslin, John Hannah, Clifton Wharton, Dick Smith, Bob Waldron, Don Holbrook, Joe Swallow, Jim O'Neil, Hal Ziegler, Dave Rogers, Ray Kewen, Jim Sparling, Richard Nixon, Jerry Ford, John Cantlon, Edward Bloand, Gordon Guyer, Roger Shamrye, Jamie Whitten, Food Toxicioly Building, John DiBiaggio, Bruce Miller, Peter McPherson, Open Meetings Act, Richard McClellan, Joel Ferguson, Bob Weiss, Bob Noto, Fred Poston, technology, tuition guarantee, Cecil Mackey.
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