Chris Alan Ponder

Chris Alan Ponder was born on January 14, 1954 to Terrrell and Elizabeth Ponder in Johnson City, Tn. He was the second born of their seven children. His parents and his brother Keith Ponder preceded him in death.

In 1972, Chris graduated from Science Hill High School in Johnson City, Tn. While there, he excelled both in academics and athletics. He won several math contests, was a chess champ, and earned a science scholarship. He also was the wrestling team captain, competing at the state level and played varsity tennis.

Chris continued these sports at Milligan College, adding track. He received his BS in Mathematics from East Tennessee State University in 1976, and later earned his Masters Degree in Mathematics at Clemson University in 1982.

After graduation, he began a long and successful career in Information Technology, becoming a highly respected Oracle database administrator. His forty year career included jobs at Coca Cola, NCR, Intercontinental Hotel Group, and the Weather Group.

While working at Coca Cola, he met his future wife Cheryl. He was initially looking for someone to become his new ballroom dance partner, but instead found a life partner. They married in 1997 and had one daughter, Alexa, who was the apple of his eye. They raised her together in Sandy Springs,Ga. He was a loving and devoted husband and father.

Chris filled his life with adventure and always had a thirst for learning. He loved to travel both internationally and domestically. When travelling he would always go 'off the beaten path' - really exploring places and learning about different people and cultures. Never a fan of traditional tourist spots, he always wanted to experience a place authentically. He also loved to eat - the more exotic food the better!

Chris loved to be in nature. He found much joy hiking in the woods and mountains of Appalachia and visiting national parks such as Zion, Glacier, and the Grand Canyon. Because of this love of nature, he was passionate about conservation and protecting the environment.

Chris is survived by his loving wife Cheryl, his cherished daughter Alexa, his sisters Cheryl Herr (David) and Jan Ponder, his brothers Terry Ponder, Brian Ponder(Shelyne) and Mark Ponder(Sheryl), and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who will forever cherish his memory.

A memorial service will be held Saturday, January 11, 2025 at 11:00 am at St Martin's in the Fields Episcopal Church, 3110 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., NE. Atlanta,Ga. 30319

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to either East Tennessee Foundation -https://easttennesseefoundation.org or Donate to WaterAid- https://us.wateraid.org