William Paul Tramel

Paul was born on October 19, 1922 in Smithville, TN. The family moved to Nashville and he graduated from East High School in 1940. After working briefly for Dupont in Old Hickory, he joined the US Army Air Corp in 1942 and served as a pilot during WWII. He stayed in the US Air Force Reserves retiring as a Major. He graduated from Vanderbilt University in 1949 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He first worked in Nashville for the TN Dept. of Transportation, then the US Army Corps of Engineers. In 1964 he transferred to the Dept. of Defense at the Arnold Engineering Development Center in Tullahoma and retired there in 1980.

Paul was preceded in death by his parents William Herbert and Hassie Pearl Patterson Tramel; his first wife Mary Kathryn Creech Tramel who passed away in 1991 after 44 years of marriage and his second wife Madge Johnson Tramel who passed away in 2015 after 14 years of marriage; sister Cornelia Tramel Byers; daughter-in-law Elizabeth Hunt Tramel; and step-daughter Cindy Johnson Conaway.

Paul leaves behind his two sons, LCDR William P. (Bill) Tramel Jr. (USN Retired) of Fort White, FL and Robert James (Bob) Tramel of Chattanooga, step-daughters Nancy Johnson White & husband Dana of Lafayette, and Susan Johnson Bush of Mt. Juliet; and step-son Steve Johnson and wife Stephanie of Carthage.

He was a member of the Lebanon Road Church of Christ and enjoyed volunteering with the Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Fund and World Bible School. He served as Assistant Scoutmaster and then Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 232 in Donelson. His last USAF Reserve assignment was the Commander of Donelson’s Civil Air Patrol Squadron. He was also active for many years in the National Association of Retired Federal Employees.

The family will receive friends from 10:00 to 11:00am on Monday November 1, 2021 at the Hibbett & Hailey Funeral Home, 429 Donelson Pike, Nashville, TN 37214; with the funeral service to follow at 11:00am with J.D. Buckner officiating. Burial will follow at Woodlawn Memorial Park.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Churches of Christ Disaster Relief Fund.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.HibbettHaileyFH.com for the Tramel family.