Zollicoffer Travis

Zollicoffer Travis died on Father’s Day, June 21st, 2015. He spent his last day at a picnic with his children and grandchildren and then surrounded by the loving staff at his current residence, The Pavillion. A more perfect conclusion of his life could not be imagined.

The past several years he has battled health issues including central tremor, heart disease, bladder cancer, diabetes, skin cancer, and a hiatal hernia. Yet until recently, none of these could slow him down.

Born January 1st, 1933 in Charlotte, he was the son of the late Augustus Zollicoffer Travis and Laura Ann Rowell Travis. He attended both Central and Myers Park High Schools. He served in the Army from 1953 to 1955 and was stationed in Japan during the end of the Korean War.

After shortly working for the Post Office, he was an award winning car salesman at Young Ford, working there for close to 20 years. After leaving Young Ford, he owned his own landscaping business and eventually worked for and retired from Pitney Bowes.

His interests included arrowhead hunting, fishing, sea shell hunting, metal detecting, thunder storms, camping, traveling, kayaking, shagging, music of all kinds, history, archeology, astronomy, movies and exploring the rich Zollicoffer lineage including a visit to the ancient family castle in Switzerland.

But his true passion was insuring his family would remain close after he was gone. In that spirit over 30 years ago he started an annual Fall fishing trip to the coast that he organized first with his children and eventually his grandchildren. This event was always a success, whether fish were actually caught or not! The memories and love forged by these fishing trips will be kept alive by continuing this tradition in his honor.

Not being content with this, he started the annual Zollicoffer Campout to ensure the next generation would also know and love each other. Next month we will celebrate the 26th Zollicoffer campout at the same location that the very first one was held. His success is evident in the way the cousins and second cousins have kept a close relationship. They will reap the benefits of these bonds for a lifetime, but the seeds were planted at the first campout in 1990.

He was well known for his love of jokes, silly rhymes and his outrageous sense of humor! He had a genuine interest in the lives and success of his friends and family and could always be counted on to be there when needed.

He was preceded in death by his second wife, Betsy Stephens Travis and infant daughter Megen Travis, who died in 1980. He raised his daughter, Ashley Travis Hunsucker, as a loving single father.

He is survived by his wife, Jackie McDonald; his sons and their wives, Ben and Sandy Travis, Rick and Angela Travis, Gary and Tatiana Travis, Kip and Amanda Travis; his daughter and her husband, Ashley and Chris Hunsucker; his step-son, Jeff Travis; his sister, Laura Ann Travis; his sister and her wife, Diana Travis and MaryAnn Mueller; as well as his former wife Janelle Travis. In addition he leaves behind a legacy of 18 grandchildren.

His family will receive friends Saturday, June 27th beginning at 12:30 pm, followed by a 2:00 pm service in Harry & Bryant’s “Chapel in the Oaks” at 500 Providence Road in Charlotte. Interment with military honors will follow in Evergreen Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, please consider the American Heart Association of Charlotte at www.charlotteheartwalk.org/zollicoffer or Saint Judes at www.stjude.org.