William L. Travis
(Jan. 23, 1922 – Oct. 9, 2015)
Our father, Bill, passed away suddenly at his residence in Frankenmuth, Mich. at the age of 93 of natural causes. He had lived in Frankenmuth since 1959 and in his house on Sunburst Drive since 1962. Joyce, his wife of 67 years, passed away in Feb. 2015.
Bill was born in Gleason in Jan 1922 to Lawrence and Lottie Travis. He was the eldest son of seven children and grew up hunting, fishing and working jobs, such as delivering the newspaper to help the family during the Depression. Bill graduated from Gleason High School. With the start of World War II and his interest in airplanes, Bill enlisted in the US Army Air Corps where he learned to fly single engine combat planes. He was never deployed overseas and often quipped that he fought the “Battle of Texas,” having been stationed there the longest. He was honorably discharged after the war, but he re-enlisted in the Air Force Reserves and eventually retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel. During the war years, his family relocated to Lansing, Mich. Following his discharge, he began selling cars from Michigan to West Tennessee. While selling a vehicle, he met Norma Joyce Chandler in 1946. They were married in June 1947 in Lansing. Bill attended Michigan State University and obtained a Master’s Degree in civil engineering. He then went to work for the Michigan Department of Transportation (“MDOT”). His job brought him and his now growing family to Frankenmuth. Bill was responsible for the oversight of the construction of I-75 through Saginaw County, and, at the end of his career, the construction of the Zilwaukee Bridge. He was employed with MDOT for 25 years. Bill had a passion for hunting, fishing, gardening and flying airplanes. Bill could often be found at the Frankenmuth Airport, where he kept his Cessna 190 for nearly 40 years. He was a founding member of the airport and served as its manger for many years. He loved to take family trips in the Cessna. He loved talking politics and family history. In retirement, Bill enjoyed spending many winters in Texas with Joyce, playing rancher. He was a Charter Member of the Frankenmuth United Methodist Church. Bill was a supportive father to Brenda Joyce, William “Billy” Kemp, Sandra “Sandy” Elaine and Chandler “Chad” Wood. Bill is survived by his daughter, Brenda and Steve Ramsby of East Lansing, Mich., daughter Sandy and Steve McClintic of Argyle, Texas; son Bill and Tracy Travis of Hico, Texas and son Chandler Travis and his wife Anna Flaaten of Phoenix, Ariz. He has eight grandkids and three great-grandkids. He is also survived by three sisters, Jane Weiss, Ann Reuter and Linda Conklin; a sister-in-law, Irene; and many nieces and nephews.
The family will be having a graveside service at New Salem Presbyterian Church in New Salem, TN at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 28, where Bill will be laid to rest next to his beloved Joyce.
(Jan. 23, 1922 – Oct. 9, 2015)
Our father, Bill, passed away suddenly at his residence in Frankenmuth, Mich. at the age of 93 of natural causes. He had lived in Frankenmuth since 1959 and in his house on Sunburst Drive since 1962. Joyce, his wife of 67 years, passed away in Feb. 2015.
Bill was born in Gleason in Jan 1922 to Lawrence and Lottie Travis. He was the eldest son of seven children and grew up hunting, fishing and working jobs, such as delivering the newspaper to help the family during the Depression. Bill graduated from Gleason High School. With the start of World War II and his interest in airplanes, Bill enlisted in the US Army Air Corps where he learned to fly single engine combat planes. He was never deployed overseas and often quipped that he fought the “Battle of Texas,” having been stationed there the longest. He was honorably discharged after the war, but he re-enlisted in the Air Force Reserves and eventually retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel. During the war years, his family relocated to Lansing, Mich. Following his discharge, he began selling cars from Michigan to West Tennessee. While selling a vehicle, he met Norma Joyce Chandler in 1946. They were married in June 1947 in Lansing. Bill attended Michigan State University and obtained a Master’s Degree in civil engineering. He then went to work for the Michigan Department of Transportation (“MDOT”). His job brought him and his now growing family to Frankenmuth. Bill was responsible for the oversight of the construction of I-75 through Saginaw County, and, at the end of his career, the construction of the Zilwaukee Bridge. He was employed with MDOT for 25 years. Bill had a passion for hunting, fishing, gardening and flying airplanes. Bill could often be found at the Frankenmuth Airport, where he kept his Cessna 190 for nearly 40 years. He was a founding member of the airport and served as its manger for many years. He loved to take family trips in the Cessna. He loved talking politics and family history. In retirement, Bill enjoyed spending many winters in Texas with Joyce, playing rancher. He was a Charter Member of the Frankenmuth United Methodist Church. Bill was a supportive father to Brenda Joyce, William “Billy” Kemp, Sandra “Sandy” Elaine and Chandler “Chad” Wood. Bill is survived by his daughter, Brenda and Steve Ramsby of East Lansing, Mich., daughter Sandy and Steve McClintic of Argyle, Texas; son Bill and Tracy Travis of Hico, Texas and son Chandler Travis and his wife Anna Flaaten of Phoenix, Ariz. He has eight grandkids and three great-grandkids. He is also survived by three sisters, Jane Weiss, Ann Reuter and Linda Conklin; a sister-in-law, Irene; and many nieces and nephews.
The family will be having a graveside service at New Salem Presbyterian Church in New Salem, TN at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 28, where Bill will be laid to rest next to his beloved Joyce.
William L. Travis
(Jan. 23, 1922 – Oct. 9, 2015)
Our father, Bill, passed away suddenly at his residence in Frankenmuth, Mich. at the age of 93 of natural causes. He had lived in Frankenmuth since 1959 and in his house on Sunburst Drive since 1962. Joyce, his wife of 67 years, passed away in Feb. 2015.
Bill was born in Gleason in Jan 1922 to Lawrence and Lottie Travis. He was the eldest son of seven children and grew up hunting, fishing and working jobs, such as delivering the newspaper to help the family during the Depression. Bill graduated from Gleason High School. With the start of World War II and his interest in airplanes, Bill enlisted in the US Army Air Corps where he learned to fly single engine combat planes. He was never deployed overseas and often quipped that he fought the “Battle of Texas,” having been stationed there the longest. He was honorably discharged after the war, but he re-enlisted in the Air Force Reserves and eventually retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel. During the war years, his family relocated to Lansing, Mich. Following his discharge, he began selling cars from Michigan to West Tennessee. While selling a vehicle, he met Norma Joyce Chandler in 1946. They were married in June 1947 in Lansing. Bill attended Michigan State University and obtained a Master’s Degree in civil engineering. He then went to work for the Michigan Department of Transportation (“MDOT”). His job brought him and his now growing family to Frankenmuth. Bill was responsible for the oversight of the construction of I-75 through Saginaw County, and, at the end of his career, the construction of the Zilwaukee Bridge. He was employed with MDOT for 25 years. Bill had a passion for hunting, fishing, gardening and flying airplanes. Bill could often be found at the Frankenmuth Airport, where he kept his Cessna 190 for nearly 40 years. He was a founding member of the airport and served as its manger for many years. He loved to take family trips in the Cessna. He loved talking politics and family history. In retirement, Bill enjoyed spending many winters in Texas with Joyce, playing rancher. He was a Charter Member of the Frankenmuth United Methodist Church. Bill was a supportive father to Brenda Joyce, William “Billy” Kemp, Sandra “Sandy” Elaine and Chandler “Chad” Wood. Bill is survived by his daughter, Brenda and Steve Ramsby of East Lansing, Mich., daughter Sandy and Steve McClintic of Argyle, Texas; son Bill and Tracy Travis of Hico, Texas and son Chandler Travis and his wife Anna Flaaten of Phoenix, Ariz. He has eight grandkids and three great-grandkids. He is also survived by three sisters, Jane Weiss, Ann Reuter and Linda Conklin; a sister-in-law, Irene; and many nieces and nephews.
The family will be having a graveside service at New Salem Presbyterian Church in New Salem, TN at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 28, where Bill will be laid to rest next to his beloved Joyce.
(Jan. 23, 1922 – Oct. 9, 2015)
Our father, Bill, passed away suddenly at his residence in Frankenmuth, Mich. at the age of 93 of natural causes. He had lived in Frankenmuth since 1959 and in his house on Sunburst Drive since 1962. Joyce, his wife of 67 years, passed away in Feb. 2015.
Bill was born in Gleason in Jan 1922 to Lawrence and Lottie Travis. He was the eldest son of seven children and grew up hunting, fishing and working jobs, such as delivering the newspaper to help the family during the Depression. Bill graduated from Gleason High School. With the start of World War II and his interest in airplanes, Bill enlisted in the US Army Air Corps where he learned to fly single engine combat planes. He was never deployed overseas and often quipped that he fought the “Battle of Texas,” having been stationed there the longest. He was honorably discharged after the war, but he re-enlisted in the Air Force Reserves and eventually retired from the Air Force Reserves as a Lieutenant Colonel. During the war years, his family relocated to Lansing, Mich. Following his discharge, he began selling cars from Michigan to West Tennessee. While selling a vehicle, he met Norma Joyce Chandler in 1946. They were married in June 1947 in Lansing. Bill attended Michigan State University and obtained a Master’s Degree in civil engineering. He then went to work for the Michigan Department of Transportation (“MDOT”). His job brought him and his now growing family to Frankenmuth. Bill was responsible for the oversight of the construction of I-75 through Saginaw County, and, at the end of his career, the construction of the Zilwaukee Bridge. He was employed with MDOT for 25 years. Bill had a passion for hunting, fishing, gardening and flying airplanes. Bill could often be found at the Frankenmuth Airport, where he kept his Cessna 190 for nearly 40 years. He was a founding member of the airport and served as its manger for many years. He loved to take family trips in the Cessna. He loved talking politics and family history. In retirement, Bill enjoyed spending many winters in Texas with Joyce, playing rancher. He was a Charter Member of the Frankenmuth United Methodist Church. Bill was a supportive father to Brenda Joyce, William “Billy” Kemp, Sandra “Sandy” Elaine and Chandler “Chad” Wood. Bill is survived by his daughter, Brenda and Steve Ramsby of East Lansing, Mich., daughter Sandy and Steve McClintic of Argyle, Texas; son Bill and Tracy Travis of Hico, Texas and son Chandler Travis and his wife Anna Flaaten of Phoenix, Ariz. He has eight grandkids and three great-grandkids. He is also survived by three sisters, Jane Weiss, Ann Reuter and Linda Conklin; a sister-in-law, Irene; and many nieces and nephews.
The family will be having a graveside service at New Salem Presbyterian Church in New Salem, TN at 1 p.m. Saturday, May 28, where Bill will be laid to rest next to his beloved Joyce.
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