On April 30, 2026, Delbert Roy Traeger transitioned from this world to Heaven, where he will live eternally in the arms of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Del was born on February 6, 1938, and grew up in Poth, Texas. After graduating from Poth High School, Del served six years in the United States Army Reserves and returned to Floresville where he spent much of his adult life. During that time, Del was employed at First City National Bank of Floresville and Poth State Bank, where he served as vice president. Del had such a love for people that it’s no wonder he was so active in his community: he was the Mayor of Floresville during the filming of Sugarland Express (meeting the cast, especially Goldie Hawn, was quite an experience for Del). Additionally, Del was one of the original owners of the Sears Catalog Store in Floresville, served as President of the Jaycees, treasurer for the Methodist Church, a Cub Scout leader, and a soccer coach.
Del spent the last thirty-six years of his life in Spring Branch, Texas, with the love of his life Eliza(Beth). His amazing capacity to love extended to his two children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, siblings, family, and friends. Del was super special and a true servant to those who needed help. His love of the Lord, his positive words of encouragement, his compassion for all humanity, his desire to help anyone in need, his sense of humor, his quick wit, and his ability to make people smile and talk to them as if he’d known them forever made it easy for everyone to love him.
Del enjoyed the simple pleasures of life: working in his garden, camping, playing his harmonica, feeding the deer in our backyard, fixing appliances (he even made BBQ pits from freezers and washing machines), and loving his precious fur babies. He especially enjoyed hosting and cooking; whether at the BBQ pit or in the kitchen, Del loved to prepare food for family and friends; they especially loved his barbecue chicken and ribs, salsa, scrambled eggs, green chicken enchiladas, and peanut brittle. He loved to create and work with wood, so he built his own workshop, surrounded himself with power tools, and busied himself with projects from bird houses to building his mother’s house.
Del loved his Lord and Savior and spent time talking with God and humming praise songs every day. As a member of Community Bible Church for twenty-two years, Del started the first singles ministry. In 2016, Del joined Hillside Fellowship, where he and his beloved wife served as greeters. Additionally, he and his wife belonged to a church life group for twenty-one years; this group, as well as the CBC camping group, became his second family.
Del was preceded in death by his parents, Paul and Hilda Traeger, and his brothers Robert and Paul Traeger. He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth, as well as his sisters Melba Dunn and Lucille Howard, his son and daughter-in-law, Douglas and Rhonda Traeger, his daughter, Kimberly Traeger and Jud Popham, his stepsons and wives, Duane and Debra Hilburn and James and Sofia Hilburn, his grandchildren Christopher and wife, Stephanie, Daegan and wife Amanda, Destan and wife Sarah, his step grandchildren Amanda, Oliver, and Levi Hilburn, and great-grandchildren Liam and Emily Traeger and Psalm Hilburn, countless nieces and nephews, and his beloved fur babies: Casper, Sammy, and Maggie.
The family will receive friends from 11:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., on Tuesday, May 12, 2026, at Porter Loring Mortuary, with a service to follow at 12:00 p.m.
Interment to follow at Coker Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St Jude’s children’s Hospital.
