John K. Roberts, Jr.

Our Dad, John K. Roberts, Jr., was born March 4, 1936, which seems like a long time ago because Dad was almost 87 years old. For the past 50+ years, my sister and I have relied on talking to our Dad when something like a death in the family has occurred. We’ll do our best to handle his death with memories of his empathy, kindness and grace.

For those who have known our Dad, even if only casually, there is no need to put it into words what kind of man he has been. It’s impossible to put into words the kind of man our Dad was for someone who never met him, but we’ll do our best. As kind, loving and concerned as Dad was with everyone who entered his universe, it was 100X for his family members, he was a true family man which is what made him happiest and created a strong loving family.

Dad could not have set a better example of how to treat other people and he had a real ability to connect and know others. My sister and I saw from an early age that no matter who got on the elevator at Pan American Life he would greet them by name in the exact same friendly engaging manner whether they were a custodian or board member. Dad spent 50 years with Pan Am, rising to be the youngest president in company history, then CEO and Chairman of the Board before retiring and serving several more years as a board member. He was a Fellow of the Society of Actuaries, a member of the American Academy of Actuaries and past president of the Southeastern Actuaries Club. He served as the Chairman of the Board of Directors for LOMA and a member of the board for the ACLI and HIAA where he received the HIAA’s prestigious Founders Medal for his work on their health care reform advocacy campaign. He is a former General Campaign Chair for the United Way of GNO and past Chair of the United Way’s Board of Trustees. He served as a member of the board for Children’s Hospital, the YMCA, the Children’s Bureau of New Orleans, the Metropolitan Area Committee and the World Trade Center. He is a past Chair of Tulane’s Parents’ Council and was a council member of Tulane’s School of Business. He is a past President of the Congregation for Grace Lutheran Church and served 6 years as a member of the Board of Pensions of the ELCA. He is a past recipient of numerous awards including the United Way Alexis de Tocqueville award, named one of the 10 Outstanding Persons by the Institute for Human Understanding and Family Services of GNO and he was awarded the YLC’s Role Model Award. He was a member of the Order of St. Lazarus, NOCC and Boston Club.

Our mom, Carol Jane Roberts, passed away in 2001, and Dad, not being one for a lot of changes, married Carol Anne who survives him. He is also survived by his children, John III (Jessica) and Susan Patterson (Robert); grandchildren, Ryan, Caroline, Annabelle, Lily and John IV; as well as his brother, Tom Roberts (Patti), and many other family members. Preceding him in death are his parents, Kenneth and Vera, as well as one grandchild, Andrew.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend the funeral service at Grace Lutheran Church, 5800 Canal Blvd. in New Orleans, on Saturday, March 4, 2023 at 1:00PM. A reception will follow the service at the Event Center at Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home, 5100 Pontchartrain Blvd. in New Orleans, from 2:00PM until 5:00PM. The interment will be private.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation John’s memory to the Andrew E. Roberts Memorial Scholarship Fund, which can be made at any Hancock Whitney branch.

To view and sign the online guestbook, please visit www.lakelawnmetairie.com