Gail Trapnell Fontaine, age 80 of Franklin, TN passed away February 11, 2020. Gail was a teacher for 38 years at Franklin Middle (Jr. Hi.) School, she chaired/co-chaired many committees, as well as being a team and subject leader, along with Freedom Middle School Teacher of the Year in 2005. She enjoyed teaching summer school for years as well as tutoring at the MAC program. Gail found her mentoring position extremely rewarding, loved teaching, and the excitement of each day. She hoped that each child could feel loved in her classroom and has enjoyed seeing many of them over the years. In the community, she was a member of the Elks Scholarship Committee and directed the VFW Patriot’s Pen Essay contest. She was awarded the VFW Citizenship Teacher of the Year and was also a member of Phi Kappa Phi and Phi Alpha Theta (a history honorary). Gail loved the excitement of traveling, especially to Italy, and cooking and reading. Her greatest wish was to make a difference in the world and to make others feel that they were her “sunshine”. Preceded in death by parents, Francis and Ruth Schill, sister Beverly Jones Lambert, nephew James Jones, husband, Richard Fontaine, and her son, Walter “Chipper” Trapnell IV. Survived by: loving son, Todd Francis (Kim) Trapnell and children by marriage, Lisa Fontaine Smith and Michael Fontaine, friend and former spouse of Walter Trapnell III, Judy; grandchildren, Walter “Quin” Trapnell V, Mary Caitlin (John) Button, Hannah Trapnell, Brady and Ryan Trapnell and grandchildren by marriage, Katy and Brittany Smith, and three great grandchildren, John, Lylah and Lydia Button. She is also survived by niece, Julie Jones Arnold; great nieces, Tara and Somer; two great great nephews, and niece, Melissa (Steve) Capitani; great niece Sophia and great nephew, Maximus; sister in law, Noreen (Rick) Kramer; cousin, Earleen Helman, friend, Steve Gehlmann, and a host of loving friends from the Franklin Special School District, Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 4893, Blazer Lane Sportsman Club, Nashville-Franklin Elks 72, and Franklin Presbyterian Church. Funeral services will be conducted 12:00 Noon Saturday, February 15, 2020 at Williamson Memorial Funeral Home, Rev. Anne Keener will officiate. Entombment will be in the Remembrance Mausoleum. Memorials may be made to Freedom Middle School Library, New Highway 96, Franklin, TN. Visitation will be 4-8PM Friday and two hours prior to the service on Saturday at WILLIAMSON MEMORIAL FUNERAL HOME, 615 794-2289 williamsonmemorial.com
