Billy "Bill" Franklin Travis

Billy Franklin Travis passed away June 14, 2022. He was born in Conover, NC, the son of Franklin Travis (deceased), retired Conover Chief of Police and mother Hilda Travis (deceased). Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years Polly "Anne" Travis, daughter Leslie Munn Granholm (Dan), grandchildren, Sarah Bourar (Youness), Stephanie Rademacher, Danny Granholm (Tresney), Robyn Daily (Sean), Mac Granholm, and five Great Grandchildren, brother-in-law, Fred Cammack and sister-in-law, Lynn Cammack. He was baptized at Concordia Lutheran Church and graduated from Concordia Christian School in Conover, NC. The Travis family were members of Trinity Lutheran Church, Tullahoma, Tennessee.

Bill graduated from Newton-Conover High School and later attended Catawba Technical College, Catawba Community College, and MTSU. Throughout his career Bill served in multiple positions within Emergency Services which include Director of Emergency Services Rutherford County, Director of Building Codes and Enforcement establishing building codes and 911 Boards in Rutherford and Coffee County, Tennessee State Fire Marshall, US Navy Fire Inspector Naval Weapons Station, Charleston, SC. In North Carolina Bill served in the Public Safety Program working as Fire Chief and Police, first responder and received his EMT Certificate. He received Commendation from the US Coast Guard for risking his life rescuing two seaman on a tanker fire with severely burned victims and dangerous high seas. During his tenure in Rutherford County he served on numerous boards and offices including three years as Chapter Chairman of the Heart of Tennessee Red Cross Chapter receiving the prestigious Clara Barton Award for meritorious duty from Elizabeth Dole, Director of the US Red Cross. Bill also has served as Assistant Fire Chief, Manchester, TN.

Bill loved his job and community devoting his time and his strength to fire prevention and rescue saving property and lives both human and animal.

One of the highlights of his career was assisting Martina McBride with her award winning music video, "Independence Day" assisting her crew with locating the property and actuallu keeping it burning throughout the video.

Bill proudly sereved as Treasurer of Highland Masonic Lodge 214 in Manchester, Tennessee achieving the Master Mason Degree. He also held the position os Assistant Director Chairman.

Bill became disabled due to ILOD injury to his heart by breaking into a home to rescue chidren before the fire truck arrived. Bill received the gift of a transplanted heart in 2013 at Vanderbilt Hospital and losing his leg while in a coma. He continued to help the Transplant Program and help survivors with their sometimes difficult transition and set up a site for patients to talk about the process. Bill also loved fishing in lakes ans oceans throughout his life and travels. His hobbies were model training and gardening. After his disability retirement Bill and Anne told the kids to take whatever they wanted from the home, sold the home, purchased a RV and traveled across the US for five years. He often said it saved his life and gave him a new and positive outlook about our world.

He was known for his positive joking and laughter. Anne says on occasion, after arriving at Vandy for often painful procedures, he would stop at the desk and ask "Has anyone seen my leg, I lost it here."

 Bill will be greatly missed and his friends say "to know Bill is to love him" he was so easy to love.

A Celebration of Bill's life will take place at the Highland Masonic Lodge 214, 1313 Hillsboro Blvd, Manchester, Tennessee 37355 at 2:00 PM on July 16, 2022.