Roland Kreps

Roland Everett Kreps, of Athens, TN, passed away on December 7, 2024 at the age of 81. He was joking with his family until the end.

Roland was born in Omaha, Nebraska on January 30, 1943 to Marie (Sperry) Kreps and Roland E. Kreps Sr., a younger brother to Grace (Jackson) and Janet (Banker), each of whom preceded him in death. After surviving a childhood bout with polio, Roland discovered a love of travel- first with trains and then with airplanes. He began working at United Airlines and moved to San Diego, CA, where he met and married his wife, Donna (Lehn) in 1969. Through United Airlines, they would move to Denver, CO, and then to the suburbs of Chicago, IL, where both of their daughters were born and raised. He worked at United for his entire career.

After he retired and moved with Donna to Tennessee, Roland was elected Chairman of the National Tourism Foundation Board of Trustees in 2004, where he helped provide scholarships to students in the travel and tourism industry. Roland and Donna traveled all over the world together. No matter where you were thinking about traveling, Roland had a friend there he could introduce you to. He was charming and funny, and he loved talking to people. Both his sense of humor and his kindness are legendary, and when his daughter Michele started working at United Airlines, she got to listen to countless "Roland stories" wherever she went.

Our Dad loved to learn, and took up everything from woodworking to technology to general electrical repairs. We remember being one of the first families on the block to have a personal computer at home- an Apple II+ that we still joke will be "worth a lot of money someday." He read voraciously, with particular passion for history and religion, and we could always count on him to provide dinnertime conversation that would make us think one minute and laugh so hard we cried the next. He loved music, sports, and affectionately teasing people he cared about. Dad understood the importance of sitting quietly on a bench and watching the birds, treating pets with the love they deserve, and making sure his grandson Jack got as much chocolate milk as he could drink. Our Dad gave great hugs. He laughed and loved with his whole heart, and he would want us all to do the same.

Roland is survived by his wife Donna, his daughters Michele (Micheal) Morris and Jennifer (John) Frisch, his grandson Jack Frisch, his cat Sabrina, and his granddogs Boeing, Max, Polar, Cielo, and Xena.

A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. on December 16, 2024 at Companion Funeral Home in Athens, TN. In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to your local humane society and/or taking a walk over to your neighbors' yards to talk and build community with laughter.