Dr. Dale Edward Trammell, 89, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Tuesday, June 16, 2026, surrounded by his loving family.
Born on January 30, 1937, in Scottsboro, Alabama, Dr. Trammell was the son of Dr. Edward Lee Trammell and Mattie Ree Preston Trammell.
He attended Baylor Preparatory School in Chattanooga and graduated from Scottsboro High School, where he was voted “Most Likely to Succeed” and “Most Handsome.” He earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order and Phi Beta Kappa Honor Society. A distinguished student, he achieved the University’s highest academic honors by earning a place on the President’s List and graduated summa cum laude in 1958 after only three years.
Dr. Trammell received his medical degree from the Medical College of Alabama, now the University of Alabama Heersink School of Medicine, becoming a third-generation physician. Following his graduation in 1961, he joined the U.S. Navy and served as a medical officer with the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean.
In 1964, he returned to Birmingham to complete his surgical residency at University Hospital under the mentorship of Dr. John Kirkland. Afterward, he was accepted into a cardiothoracic surgery fellowship at the University of Tennessee in Memphis. However, he was recruited to come to Decatur in 1968, where he established a surgical practice and faithfully served the community for more than 30 years.
Throughout his distinguished career, Dr Trammell served in several service and leadership roles. This included his membership in the Morgan-Lawrence Medical Auxiliary, where he served as Chairman in 1980. He was a founding trustee of the Decatur General Hospital Foundation upon its inception in 1983 and continued serving on the board throughout his lifetime. He was honored with the John A. Caddell award at Gala VII in 1991. He was President of the Alabama Chapter of the American College of Surgeons in 1987. He was the President of the Medical Association of the State of Alabama in 1988. He was also a member of the Alabama Medical Licensure Commission and served as President of the University of Alabama Medical Alumni Association from 1989–1991. He was a board member of the Alabama Quality Assurance Foundation in Montgomery. He served on the board of Decatur General Hospital for 20 years.
One of Dr. Trammell’s greatest passions was caring for the vulnerable and those in need. He helped found the Decatur Morgan Community Free Clinic in 2004 and remained a longstanding board member while volunteering his time and surgical expertise. Throughout his career, he performed countless operations without the expectation of payment.
Outside of his medical practice, Dr. Trammell enjoyed participating in mission trips through the First Presbyterian Church of Decatur. He and his brother-in-law, Thomas Caddell, would design and install water purification systems in remote villages of Central America to provide clean drinking water which had previously been unavailable.
Dr. Trammell always had a fascination with the Tennessee River that dated back to his childhood in Scottsboro. While out on the river in Decatur, decades before cell phones, he would use his high tech Motorola radio that allowed him to communicate with the hospital when he was on call for surgery back-up. He was also passionate about duck and goose hunting on his rare day off. After retirement, when he finally had the time, he enjoyed offshore sport fishing and participated in competitive fishing rodeos. He became quite the angler.
Dr. Trammell was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Penelope Pinkston Trammell; his parents, Dr. Edward Lee Trammell and Mattie Ree Preston Trammell, his brothers, Dr. Patrick Lee Trammell and Dr. Donald Neal Trammell; and his nephew, Donald Neal Trammell Jr
He is survived by his son, Dr. Dale Edward Trammell Jr., his cherished grandchildren, Pearson (17) and Langley (14), his nephew, Patrick Lee Trammell Jr.; and his nieces, Julie Trammell Edwards, Terri Trammell Burant, and Jerrianne Trammell.
Visitation will be held at Decatur Methodist Church on Saturday, July 11, beginning at 1:00 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 2:00 p.m. A private burial will be held at the Trammell family cemetery in Scottsboro at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Decatur Morgan Community Free Clinic or the Decatur Morgan Hospital Foundation (256-973-2187)
