Thomas E. Roberts Jr.

Thomas Roberts, Jr., 82, of Wyomissing passed away peacefully on July 19, 2026.

Born and raised in the Wilkes Barre area, he was a proud graduate of Wyoming Seminary, where he co-captained the football team, and Heidelberg University in Tifton, Ohio, where he was a member of the Sigma Tau Nu fraternity. When his son attended the University of Pennsylvania years later, they would debate which school’s mascot was less intimidating: the Student Princes of Heidelberg or the Quakers of Penn.

While Tom liked to keep the mood light, he did hard things. He was a veteran of the Vietnam war, serving as a communications specialist in the U.S. Army. Upon discharge, he settled in Berks County and soon fulfilled his dream of entrepreneurship, opening Travel Time Inc., a full-service travel agency, which he owned and operated for two decades before transitioning to corporate travel development. Despite his vocation, he was ever present at home and put being a dad first. He was a tee-ball coach, a chauffeur, and a sherpa. He read countless bedtime stories and made up his own when the published ones got boring. He played catch whenever asked.

In later years, he saw the world with Carole, his beloved wife of 53 years, and consumed histories and biographies. He would have been one fierce tour guide had they retired to Williamsburg, Virginia or Sedona, Arizona. Instead, he taught business courses at Reading Area Community College and Pace University, and he volunteered as a mentor to aspiring entrepreneurs through the Reading chapter of the SCORE program. He served Lower Heidelburg Township as an auditor and Chapin Real Estate & Investments as a trustee. He learned to play the guitar. He welcomed two grandchildren into the world and treasured every minute with them.

He is survived by Carole, his sons, Doug (Carolyne) and David (Rachel), and his grandchildren, Lucas and Frances. He was predeceased by his parents, Thomas Roberts and Eleanor Chapin Buddinger. The family is grateful for the exceptional care that he received from Dr. Emily Tomasulo and the oncology team at Penn Medicine.

A private service will be held on Friday, July 24, at 1:30 p.m., in the Chapel at Charles Evans Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial donations be made to the Abramson Cancer Center at https://www.pennmedicine.org/giving/fund-for-abramson-cancer-center. Bean Funeral Home, Sinking Spring, has been entrusted with arrangements, online guestbook and condolences may be made at www.beanfuneralhomes.com