Merle Travis Goss

Merle Travis Goss, 73, passed away Sunday morning, May 30, 2021 at Baptist Memorial Hospital-East in Memphis, TN after a long battle with cancer.  Funeral services are 11 A.M. Thursday, June 3rd at North Greenwood Baptist Church with interment in Moore’s Memorial Cemetery in Teoc.  Rev. Terry Barnes will officiate.  Visitation is Wednesday evening from 5-7 P.M. at Greenwood Delta Funeral Home.

Travis was the youngest of ten children born to William Hiram and Cecil Ethel Goss in Avalon.  He graduated from Valley School in Carroll County. After graduation, he joined the United States Army, Aug 9, 1966, where he was stationed in Ft. Hood, TX.  He served in Okinawa during the Vietnam War. 

He was driving a little maroon Corvette when he met the love of his life, Wanda Holloway Goss, in the summer of 1983.  They married on March 30, 1984 and shared 37 years of marriage before his passing.  He was a man of many trades.  He owned Downtown Muffler, Superior Cabinets, and Proline Cabinets which made residential and commercial custom cabinetry.  He raised and raced Quarter Horses, raced drag cars, and was an avid Ole Miss Fan.

He is survived by his wife, Wanda of Avalon; two daughters, Meagan Goss Counts (Jared) of Itta Bena, Kristy Goss Kirchharr (Erich) of Pace, FL; two sons, Brian Travis Goss (Meredith) of Itta Bena, Michael Kevin Goss (Belinda) of Meridian, MS; two sisters, Myrtle Lee Simpson of Avalon, Virginia Sarah Minyard of Pascagoula and nine grandchildren; Michael Cooper, Mark Goss, Kyle Kirchharr, Kynlee Kirchharr, Brantley Counts, Chandler Counts, Swayze Counts, Milam Goss and Baylee Goss. He is preceded in death by his parents and seven siblings.

Pallbearers will be Ulysses Kelly, Preston Brown, Kenneth “Bitty” Melton, Charlie “FOOL” Minyard, Terry Minyard, Wendell Goss, Adam Easley, Hayward Hodge, Harrison Hodge and Wilson Reed.  Honorary pallbearers are Dr. Edwin Meek, Jr., Redd Bowlin, David Carpenter, Sr., Eugene Goss, Allen Wood III, and Joseph Mallette.

Memorials may be made to the Community Food Pantry, Delta Streets Academy, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or the charity of donor’s choice.

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