Travis L. (Butch) Tanner, Jr., 67, died Thursday, September 6 at his home in Indianola after a brief illness. Boone Funeral Home, Leland is in charge of arrangements.
He was born March 14, 1951 in Gulfport, MS to Travis L. and Christine (Brown) Tanner. He graduated from Gulfport High School in 1969 and continued his education at Delta State University in Cleveland and the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg.
Butch was a talented athlete who began playing basketball at a young age. He continued playing into high school and part of his college career. In high school, he led the Guflport Commodores to an impressive number of victories and championships.
Butch worked very successfully for 35 years in the travel and entertainment industry, primarily as a senior executive with Carlson Travel Group/Carlson Wagonlit Travel and Walt Disney Attractions. Among other honors, he was named one of the top twenty-five most influential executives in the travel industry for 6 consecutive years.
During retirement, Butch was actively involved in animal rescue with Animal Relief & Rescue Fellowship in Leland fostering shelter dogs, rescuing dogs in the field, and driving dogs to rescues and adopters in states as far away as Connecticut. His love for animals was obvious to those who knew him in the rescue world.
Butch is lovingly remembered by his life partner, Ann McDonnell Fratesi of Indianola; his daughter, Jessica Leigh Tanner (with former spouse, Rebecca Scruggs Tanner), of Pittsboro, NC; his sister, Carol Tanner Murphy Yates (Robert McGinness) of Charlotte, NC; two nephews, David Paul Murphy, Jr., (Angie) and Mark Scott Murphy (Kely) of Lancaster, SC; three great-nieces; one great-nephew and a number of cousins and a host of friends. He is preceded in death by his parents, Travis and Christine Tanner and brother-in-law, David Paul Murphy, Sr.
A celebration of Butch’s life will be held at a later date in North Carolina. If friends wish, memorials may be made to the charity that was closest to his heart, Animal Relief & Rescue Fellowship, P. O. Box 66, Leland, MS 38756 or to the charity of your choice. Even though he is gone from our sight, this kind, loving, generous man will live on in our hearts forever. We know that he is at peace and with his Lord.