08/12/2026
Karl Wagnon
Karl Edward Wagnon, 71, of Gallatin, Tennessee, passed away peacefully on August 11, 2026. He was born in Cookeville, Tennessee, on March 6, 1955, to Don and Kathryn Wagnon.
Karl attended Putnam County High School and later Tennessee Technological University, where he met the love of his life, Tina, through a mutual friend. The two married on December 4, 1982, and shared more than 43 years of marriage, family, laughter, and countless adventures together.
Karl began his career working alongside his father at Wagnon Stereo in Cookeville. He later moved to Nashville, where he built a career in the cellular phone industry and remained there until his retirement from AT&T in 2019. Retirement, however, never quite suited Karl. He never lost his passion for figuring out how things worked and continued taking on electrical projects and solving technical problems right up until the day he passed.
Karl had an impressive—and often delightfully useless to everyone else—knowledge of technical trivia. He could talk about how things worked, why they worked, and probably how to fix them. He enjoyed fishing, riding motorcycles, and attempting to manage his yard with his beloved John Deere tractor.
But above all else, Karl loved his family. Some of his greatest joys were the times he spent with Tina, John and Allison, Sam and Kaylee, and his beloved granddaughter, Landin. He loved traveling together, sharing a meal, and simply being with the people he loved. When Landin was born, the family affectionately gave Karl the grandparent nickname “Sparky,” a name that perfectly captured both his lifelong connection to all things electrical and the joy he found in becoming a grandfather.
Karl and Tina were longtime members of Hendersonville Church of Christ, where Karl served faithfully as an elder for 17 years. His faith and his love for his church family were an important part of his life. He was also deeply passionate about Whispering Pines Christian Camp and cherished the opportunity to support its mission and ministry.
Karl is survived by his beloved wife, Tina Wagnon; his sons, John Wagnon and wife, Allison, and Sam Wagnon and wife, Kaylee; and his cherished granddaughter, Landin Wagnon. He is also survived by his father, Don Wagnon; his sister, Kathryn Mattson and husband, Bebo Mattson; and numerous nieces, nephews, extended family members, and dear friends who became family.
He was preceded in death by his mother, Kathryn Wagnon; his longtime friend, Jim Lawson; and his childhood friend, Randy West.
Karl will be remembered for his remarkable mind, his willingness to help, his love of solving a problem, his many stories and bits of technical trivia, and most of all, his unwavering love for his family. He leaves behind a lifetime of memories and a family who will forever miss his presence, his humor, and the spark he brought into their lives.
Visitation for Karl will be held on Wednesday, August 19, 2026 from 11 am until 2 pm at Hendersonville Funeral Home (353 E. Main St., Hendersonville, Tennessee 37075). The funeral service for Karl will be held at 2 pm at the same location with burial to follow in Hendersonville Memory Gardens.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Karl’s memory to Whispering Pines Christian Camp through Hendersonville Church of Christ.
Donation link:https://www.hendersonville.org/give/
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