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Ronald
In Memory of
Ronald "Ron"
Roberts
1927 - 2016
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Obituary for Ronald "Ron" Roberts

Ronald "Ron"  Roberts
Ronald Roberts, lover of life, friend to many, cherished husband, dad, granddad, and great granddad, left us on Dec. 7, after a fulfilling life reaching 89 years. He lived life with a zest and positive nature, always finding the good in everyone, a friend to all.

Ron was born July 24, 1927, in Kansas City, KS. He and his beloved twin brother, Don, excelled in sports at Wyandotte H.S., where they played basketball and Ron was captain of the football team. Ron and Don served together in the U.S. Navy during WWII. Ron attended the University of Kansas, where he obtained a degree in Education and became a lifelong Jayhawks fan. Ron and Don were chairmen of the men’s intermurals at KU and members of Phi Kappa Psi. While at KU, Ron met Jacquelyn Rose Herriott, his beloved wife of 66 years. They married in Napa, CA in 1950.

Ron was a history and economics teacher and football/basketball coach at Northwest Junior High School and later Wyandotte High School in Kansas City before embarking on a long career as a unit sales manager with Proctor and Gamble. In 1964, Ron left P&G to fulfill a personal calling to attend seminary to study ministry at Princeton Theological Seminary. A year later, he returned to P&G, relocating in Knoxville. He retired from P&G in 1992.

Ron lived in the West Knoxville/Farragut area and was an active member of Erin Presbyterian Church for over 50 years, where he was an elder, a senior high group leader, a teacher for an adult class, and was chairman of a nominating committee for new ministers. His love of East Tennessee, the Smoky Mountains, and the TN Vols grew over the years. He became a longtime season ticket holder for the Lady Vols basketball team, attending numerous NCAA tournament games and multiple Final Fours.

Ron’s hobbies, besides being a sports fanatic, included golfing, hiking, gardening, playing bridge, and he was lifelong student of American history. He and Jacque hiked almost every trail in the Smoky Mountains. A lover of music, Ron learned to play the harmonic at the age of 11. He shared this love, playing melodic tunes to his children at bedtime. He would also entertain with his upbeat tunes at family reunions and parties.

He taught exercise classes for many years as a certified Body Recall instructor. He assisted with day to day operations and was advertising manager of the West Side Story newspaper, founded in 1967 by his wife, Jacque.

Ron was preceded in death by his parents, Clay and Iris Jeter Roberts; his wife, Jacque; his twin brother, Don; and his younger brother, Clay “Boomer” Roberts Jr.

He leaves a seemingly ageless sister, Barbara Roberts, of Tigard, OR; five children, Sherry (Todd) Johnson of Lenoir City, Jan (Bob) Hall of Lenoir City, Craig (Kathy) Roberts of Leawood, KS, Tom (Kimberly) Roberts of Loudon, and Steve (Toni) Roberts of Crossville; 11 grandchildren; and 10 great-grandchildren.

Memorial service 3 p.m. Sun., Dec. 11, at Erin Presbyterian Church, 200 Lockett Rd, Knoxville. Family requests in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Erin Presbyterian Church.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Ronald "Ron" Roberts, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

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