Neil Trammell, born December 2,
1928, passed away at his home on
June 2, 2012, at age 83. He was
born at National, UT, while his family
was temporarily located at a mining
camp, during the hardest times of
the Great Depression. Much of his
early life was spent in small towns
on the eastern side of Arkansas,
where his family were primarily
cotton farm workers. After learning
from relatives about new opportunities in Oregon, the entire family,
including Neil and five siblings, settled at Grand Island. They later
moved to their family home in Dayton, OR, where his family was
blessed with six additional brothers and sisters. He attended
Dayton High School, where he met Patty Ann Woodward. Neil was
student body president of his graduating class in 1947. Following
graduation, in the years following World War II, Neil enlisted with the
U. S. Army. He was stationed at Fort Story, VA. After his discharge
from active service, he continued in the National Guard for six
years. Upon returning home to Dayton from the Army, by chance
he again met up with Patty Woodward. The friendship that had
developed in high school quickly turned into a deeper relationship.
They married on September 2, 1950, at the Christian Church at
Dayton, and remained devotedly married for the next 61 years. After
marrying, they lived in Forest Grove, OR. They returned later to live
in Dayton. Neil worked at a local appliance store, showing a natural
talent for anything mechanical. He was subsequently recruited and
mentored by the lead engineer at the Alderman Farms cold storage
plant, just outside of Dayton. Neil purchased and remodeled a small
home in Dayton, for raising his two new sons, Larry and Lonnie. His
reputation as a plant operator grew. He was offered a position in
1960, as the refrigeration engineer at the Terminal Ice and Cold
Storage plant at Milwaukie, OR. As they say, "it was an offer that
he couldn't refuse." He moved the family to Tigard, OR. His career
continued upward, as he was elected President of the local chapter
of the Refrigeration and Operating Engineers professional society.
In 1965, he and his wife, Patty, decided to move, to raise their boys
in a rural area. They purchased the Bonaparte Lake Resort, in the
Okanogan National Forest, between Tonasket and Republic. He
operated the resort until 1972. This was the happiest and most
productive time of his life. After his two sons grew and went on to
college at Washington State University, he lived in the Tonasket and
Omak areas, working in carpentry and appliance repair. Looking
forward to a warmer environment, he and Patty relocated to Yuma,
AZ. Shortly later, he was offered a job back in the Wenatchee area,
and jumped at the chance. At Wenatchee, he worked in apartment
management and home business projects. After a series of strokes,
the decline was relatively fast, as he lost most of his eyesight,
hearing and physical strength. In the early morning of June 2, 2012,
Neil was at last received into God's loving arms in the presence of
his family.
Neil is survived by his wife, Patty; children, Larry Trammell of
Kirkland, WA, and Lonnie and Jo Ann Trammell of Dallas, TX; and
grandsons, Brad Trammell of Austin, TX and Ryan Trammell of
Dallas, TX.
The family would like to give special thanks for the kind help and
reassurances received from Stacy from Aging and Adult Care, Ellen
and Carrie at Beneficial In-Home Care, and Debbie and Gail at the
Central Washington Hospital Hospice. Special thanks to neighbors
Bob and Bobbie Higgins, who seemed always to appear just when
needed most.
A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 9,
2012, at the Jones & Jones~Betts Memorial Chapel in Wenatchee.
Please express your thoughts and memories for the family on
the online memorial website at www.jonesjonesbetts.com.
Arrangements are by Jones & Jones~Betts Funeral Home.