Mr. Doug Tramel

Franklin Douglas “Doug” Tramel was born on March 31, 1942 in Forest, Mississippi to Willie Elton and Willie Irene Tramel. He was the second child of four children with two brothers, Jimmy and Butch, and one sister, Betty. Doug grew up an avid athlete playing football, basketball, baseball, and running track throughout grade school and high school. His family moved from Forest to Jackson when Doug was in 9th grade and he spent his high school days at Forest Hill High School. Doug excelled in football all four years at Forest Hill and he graduated in 1960. After a semester in junior college, Doug joined the Air Force in the spring of 1961 and was stationed in Sumter, South Carolina. He served four years in the Air Force from 1961 – 1965. In the last year of service, Doug met Rebecca Gail Knight through her uncle, who was stationed with him at Sumter Air Force Base. Gail and Doug began dating in the spring of 1965 and were married on September 25, 1965 in South Carolina before moving back to Mississippi upon Doug’s discharge from the Air Force. Shortly after moving back to Mississippi, Doug began working at the United States Post Office, where he was employed for 38 years. Throughout his career at the Post Office, he was an active and committed member of the Postal Workers Union where he served as treasurer. Three years into their marriage Doug and Gail welcomed their first child and daughter, Betty Sheridan “Sherry” Tramel, on November 16, 1968. Seven years later their second child and daughter, Kimberly Gail Tramel, was born on June 23, 1975, and their third child and son, John Winstead Tramel, was born two years later on November 9, 1977. Doug and the family lived most of their days in south Jackson with short stays in Pelahatchie, MS where Doug’s brother and parents lived. Shortly after their son John was born, Gail and Doug built their house in Western Hills subdivision in south Jackson, where they have lived for almost 40 years. They have been active members of Raymond Road Baptist church since that time and take great joy in being a part of the lives of their church family. Doug served as a deacon for several years until his cancer treatment began to impact his health. Doug continued to love sports through the years and spent many years coaching his children in softball, baseball, and football and supporting them as their biggest fan through all their endeavors. Doug and the family have been dedicated fans of Mississippi State sports and spent many weekends in Starkville, Mississippi cheering on the Dawgs in football, baseball, and basketball. If they weren’t able to make it up Hwy 25 to the game, they were crowded around the TV watching the game (or crowded around the radio in the “olden” days). Doug was extremely committed to his family including his extended family, bothers, sister, and parents, who all lived in central Mississippi for the last several years. Also, Doug and Gail spent every summer traveling to South Carolina to spend time with Gail’s mother, father, sister, nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, and cousins. In the later years of the children’s youth, the family made regular trips to Raleigh, Mississippi, the childhood home of Doug’s parents where his mother spent the last several years of her life until she died at the age of 92 in 2005. Holidays were always filled with family memories as the extended Tramel family regularly got together to celebrate. Doug and Gail were blessed with their first grandchild, Tyler Douglas Wells, born September 4, 1995. Five years later their second grandchild, Abigail Morgan Wells, was born on April 15, 2001. Their third grandchild, Jaelyn Ann Tramel, was born on March 30, 2007 followed by her sister Livia Joy Tramel, born May 2, 2009. All four grandchildren were very special parts of their lives and brought countless years of joy and laughter to their days. He was a volunteer driver for the VA Hospital, driving patients to the VA for doctors’ appointments and hospital visits. He took great joy in being a part of people’s lives in this way. Doug is preceded in death by his parents; brother, Jimmy Tramel and sister, Nancy Tramel. Survivors include his loving wife of 52 years Gail Tramel of Jackson; son, John (Hilary)Tramel of Kansas City, MO; daughters, Sherry (Shane) Wells of Springhill, TN and Kim Tramel of Jackson; brother, Butch (Gloria) Tramel of Flowood; sister, Betty (Tom) Ross of Raleigh; four grandchildren; a number of nieces and nephews and a host of friends. Visitation will be 5-8pm Thursday, February 1, 2018 at Raymond Road Baptist Church. Visitation will continue Friday, February 2 at the church, 10am until the 11am funeral service. Graveside services will follow at 3pm Friday at Double Church Cemetery in Raleigh, MS. Memorials may be made to the American Cancer Society or Raymond Road Baptist Church.