My Dad, Jimmie Trammell began his love for the grocery business in the late 30�s. After marrying Marie McDonald, he went to work for James Charlton�s Grocery Store as a butcher...friendship with the Charlton�s began that lasted a lifetime.
After returning from the war, he purchased a grocery story with a partner, Carlton Green. After a short time he purchased the store from Carlton. There were several people along with his brother-in-law, G.W. McDonald, who supported him through this time. The store remained in the same location for 36 years. Although additions and up dates were made the store remained basically the same.
Jimmie, along with his wife Marie, Effie and T. A. McDonald, known as Mr. and Mrs. Mc, and Viola "Toad" Hubanks ran the store for several years. Other employees along the way that I remember were Myrtle Sommers, Crook Williams, Nicky Boone, Myrtle Ann Cummins and his brother-in-law, Loran Bradley. Please forgive me for not remembering everyone.
I think Jimmie will be remembered as the fun-loving, joke pulling, thirty-one game playing gentleman he was. I believe he got his personality from his mother, Effie Trammell. During his senior year, he and Blair McGee were asked to bring dressed hens to school for the Jr - Sr banquet. His mother, being the fun loving person she was, made dresses and bonnets for the chickens to wear. Needless to say, it was the hit of the day.
I also remember his great steaks, broasted chicken, hot tamales and chili that you could smell for blocks. He shared his tamale recipe with his grandchildren, Donna Crabb and Bill Whitman, for fund raisers for the band carnival each year. We sold these for $1.25 per dozen. One year we raised one thousand dollars. That is lots of tamales!
I also remember the late Saturday nights, the deliveries at 10:00 am
and 4:00 pm, the harvest crews in the fall and all the fun times we shared with so many wonderful customers.
My Dad employed many high school students over the years. Some were Jerry Orr, Carol Sheid (who later owned a grocery business of his own), Garlon Riley, Kent Bartlett, James Stegall, Eddie Stegall, Butch Burch, Linda Royal Bridges, Donna Crabb, Bill Whitman, and me. Bill Whitman, his grandson, is the only one I remember being fired for eating candy. Dad rehired him the next day. Bill is so much like Jimmie in looks and personality.
Dad extended credit to his customers over the years and always taught me that customers are always right. He loved and appreciated his customers. I hope his customers appreciated the shocking chair, the jokes he told, the cow proder, the hot mustard and all of the many other things he thought up.
I remember all his great friends...Bill Mitchell, Odis Long, Don Bynum, Ray Royal, Jerry Daniel, Lawrence Beck, and Don Richardson. There were two very special people in my dad�s life. Bill Hamilton was like a sister to him and Bill Fancher who always tells me he loved that man. The feelings were mutual.
I believe he had a successful and joyful life in the grocery business. He sold his business to Mike Walkup who later moved it across the street. It is know today as Dixie-One-Stop. Dad retired to enjoy life at the lake along with his wife, Lillian. I want to thank all the employees and customers for making his years joyful. He lived life to the fullest and took life one day at a time and truly enjoyed life.
