J.T. Traffenstedt

Here is a short summary of my last 50 years.

Right after graduating I worked for Dollar General Store in downtown Chattanooga for a year, then I went to Chattanooga State Technical Community College for a year to become a dental assistant. While in school at CSTCC, I married J.T. Traffanstedt. We grew up in the same neighborhood, and started dating while at Kirkman.

I was a dental assistant from 1963 to 1966. Then J.T. went in the Air Force, and I went with him to Glasgow, Montana. Our son was born in 1967. From Glasgow we went to Abiliene, Texas for 9 months. When J.T. went to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines, I came back to Chattanooga and went to work for a dentist in 1969 and stayed there until 1984. In 1985 I went to work at UTC Bookstore as supervisor of cashiers and stayed there until 1991. Since then I have worked in a church kitchen doing Wed night suppers, this I did for 8 years. The last 16 years I have volunteered at a nursing home where I help in the Activities Dept and teach a bible study every other Friday.


I have 3 lovely and wonderful granddaughters. They are a very big part of my life.

J.T. and I go to Concord Baptist Church, we like to travel and just enjoy being with each other. Of course, I cannot leave out I love to read. I like to read fiction and non fiction which includes studying for my bible study class.


I can't say I had one favorite teacher for I liked most all my teachers. My closest friends while at Kirkman where Sue Davis, Marcia Barker and, of course, J.T Traffanstedt.