E. Paul Bean

E. Paul Bean, 79, was born in Oak Ridge, Tennessee on November 11, 1945. He went to his heavenly home on Wednesday, May 21, 2025, with his family by his side. He is the son of the late Milt Dale Bean and Mary Ruth Bean. He was preceded in death by his older brother, George Milton Bean (Carol). Paul is survived by his two daughters, Tifni Bean Trammell (Joey) and Trisha Carver. He will be greatly missed by his beloved grandchildren; Kwade, Charlsie, Calese, and Camille, as well as many special friends including Robert McClure (Bobbie) and countless others.
Paul was an extremely hard worker, starting at a young age mowing yards. Throughout high school, he taught swim lessons while working at The Knoxville Boys Club. While working several different jobs, he put himself through the University of TN at Knoxville. Later, he furthered his education to earn a Masters +45 degree.
Paul was employed with Knoxville City and Knox County Schools for nearly 40 years. He began as a teacher, but after 3 years he became one of the youngest principals in the system at the time. After a few years, was promoted to Vocational and Technical Director. He worked tirelessly to build partnerships with community businesses to ensure that students were learning the trades necessary and needed in the current job market. He was a strong advocate for vocational programming and realized the importance of learning a trade. Paul was a woodworker, an electrician, and a man who learned various skills that he applied to his personal and professional life. He was very passionate about his profession; understanding and advising that college degrees were not always required for every student to achieve success.
After his day ended with the school system, Paul worked part-time at Knoxville Teachers Federal Credit Union serving as the Assistant Manager. He eventually retired from Knox County Schools and worked full time at KTFCU. He enjoyed working there with such a wonderful staff, as well as meeting the needs of members. He retired officially in 2024.
After retiring, "Pepaw" enjoyed spending time with his children and grandchildren the most. He attended countless sporting events to support each grandchild, cheering the loudest and puffing with pride for their accomplishments. Even through his battle with Alzheimer's and numerous health issues, he continued to be joyful, making others laugh. He had a positive attitude and impact on those around him. He was a selfless man who could fix or repair anything. He was the laughter and fun at any event.
We are gathering to honor E. Paul Bean's life and legacy on June 5, 2025, at Bearden Banquet Hall, located at 5806 Kingston Pike in Knoxville. Join us for a drop-in cocktail and appetizer social from 4:00 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. The Celebration of Life will begin at 6:30 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in Paul's memory to one of the following organizations that were important to him: Horse Haven of Tennessee (horsehaventn.org) or The All Heart Gunner Foundation (allheartgunner.com).