Incident
Sergeant Mooneyham suffered a fatal heart attack during the investigation of the murder of Sullivan County Sheriff's Sergeant Arthur Lane. The heart attack was brought on due to the stress and long hours of the investigation. Sergeant Mooneyham was a U.S Air Force veteran and had served with the Tennessee Highway Patrol for 22 years.
Survivors
He was survived by his wife, son, and two daughters.
In Our Keeping
- Permanent identifier
neuraspine_01krbxtn5k76j4exg30h5vkbmh- Stewardship
- Maintained by NeuraWeb Global Inc.
- Added to badge.nw
- August 2, 2026
- Last updated
- August 2, 2026
Honored here by 1 tribute.
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Also honored at salute.nw — U.S. Air Force. One record, 2 gates. Paul is one person.
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Tributes
I served 1985 to 1993. You served too, before the badge - different uniform, same idea. You go where you are sent and you do not get to pick the call.
Sergeant Mooneyham gave the Tennessee Highway Patrol 22 years.
Thank you for your service to the people of Tennessee, and for your service before it. Gone but never to be forgotten.
Rest easy, brother.
— S. Vincent Anthony, U.S. Army 1985-1993
Agency
Service Record
Incident Details
Military Service
Paul Lynn Mooneyham Sr. served in the U.S. Air Force (1955â1957) before joining law enforcement.
The Sacrifice · Cardiac
Tennessee Highway Patrol has lost 41 officers; 4 of them lost to cardiac events.
Paul is one of 37 officers lost to cardiac events in TN, 4.8% of the 769 remembered there.
Paul is one of 1,307 officers lost to cardiac events in the United States, 4.7% of the 27,552 remembered there.
Paul is one of 1,309 officers lost to cardiac events worldwide, 3.8% of the 34,103 remembered here.
34,103 officers are remembered on this memorial. Each number below is one of them.
Time
In 1981, 2 officers in TN were lost to cardiac events, the 3rd heaviest of 26 years on record. The heaviest was 1999, with 4.
In 1981, 16 officers in the United States were lost to cardiac events, the 24th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
In 1981, 16 officers worldwide were lost to cardiac events, the 24th heaviest of 139 years on record. The heaviest was 2014, with 24.
Who
Paul was 42. Of the 36 lost to cardiac events in TN whose age is recorded, half were between 41.8 and 54.3; the middle age was 49. Paul had served 22 years; the middle length of service was 15.5 years.
Paul was 42. Of the 1,249 lost to cardiac events in the United States whose age is recorded, half were between 43 and 55; the middle age was 48. Paul had served 22 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
Paul was 42. Of the 1,251 lost to cardiac events worldwide whose age is recorded, half were between 42.5 and 55; the middle age was 48. Paul had served 22 years; the middle length of service was 15 years.
When
April holds 10.8% of these deaths in TN; March holds the most, 13.5%. Saturdays: 13.5%.
April holds 8.9% of these deaths in the United States; January holds the most, 9.6%. Saturdays: 14.3%.
April holds 8.9% of these deaths worldwide; January holds the most, 9.5%. Saturdays: 14.4%.
How
Cardiac deaths account for 9.8% of all 41 deaths at Tennessee Highway Patrol, the 3rd most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 4.8% of all 769 deaths in TN, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 4.7% of all 27,552 deaths in the United States, the 4th most common cause.
Cardiac deaths account for 3.8% of all 34,103 deaths worldwide, the 4th most common cause.
His people
Tennessee Highway Patrol has 41 officers remembered here, Paul among them.
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Charles Monroe Hash
Apr 11, 1930
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Walter Ray Jones Jul 31, 1933
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Lee Glenn Loveless Feb 3, 1934
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Clovis Lee Cole May 2, 1934
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Edward Eugene Kennedy
Aug 22, 1934
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Lindsey Blake Smith
Dec 17, 1934
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Landon Earl Hicks Jun 17, 1936
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Paul Summers
Aug 8, 1936
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Carl Douglas Hickman
Sep 15, 1937
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Lewis R. Boone
Oct 18, 1938
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Charles Joseph Gearhiser Nov 12, 1938
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William Howard James
Sep 14, 1942
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William Hinkle Crutcher Aug 3, 1944
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Fred Cole Waldrop
Mar 9, 1950
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Oliver Deward Williamson
Mar 21, 1952
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Oscar Newton Morris
Apr 19, 1956
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Lewis Raymond Hendon Jun 15, 1957
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Edward Clay Jowers Jul 18, 1962
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Joseph Emanuel Dillard
Aug 24, 1964
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William Gordon Barnes Jan 7, 1966
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Michael Theodore Dafferner Apr 6, 1966
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Samual W. Gibbs
Aug 11, 1966
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Eugene Brakebill
Oct 9, 1966
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Roy Alford Mynatt
Feb 11, 1968
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C. B. Martin
May 4, 1969
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Paul Lynn Mooneyham, Sr.
Apr 4, 1981
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Samuel Freeman Holcomb, Jr.
Mar 27, 1988
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Douglas Wayne Tripp
May 19, 1991
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George Van Dorse Holcomb
Jan 26, 1992
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James David Perry
Oct 3, 1999
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Bobby J. Maples
Nov 5, 1999
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Lynn McCarthy Ross
Jul 26, 2000
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John Gregory Mann
Jan 1, 2001
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John Robert Davis
Mar 17, 2001
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Todd Michael Larkins
Jul 8, 2005
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Calvin Wayne Jenks
Jan 6, 2007
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Andrew Thomas Wall
May 7, 2011
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Michael Wayne Slagle
Jan 25, 2013
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Matthew Elias Gatti
May 6, 2019
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Vince Arnold Mullins
Jan 28, 2022
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Harold Lee Russell, II
Aug 23, 2022
Where
Military Service
Paul Lynn Mooneyham Sr. served in the U.S. Air Force (1955–1957) before joining law enforcement.
Visit Paul Lynn Mooneyham Sr.’s page on salute.nw →
His full service record — units, decorations, where he served — is kept on salute.nw.
Where the Name Is Cut
What is kept
Photographs, film, sound and papers — what survived a life.
Also Remembered
Others Who Wore This Badge
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