Lana Roberts

Born February 5, 1945, in Jackson, Tennessee, Lana was the daughter of Otto and Zula Umlauf. She moved to Orlando, Florida when she was 12, where she would spend most of her life before returning to Tennessee and making Greeneville her home.

Lana shared 60 years of marriage with her husband, James Roberts. Together they raised three children.

She is survived by her husband, James; her son, James Roberts II and his wife, Amy, and their children, James Roberts III, Delaney Roberts, and Luke Roberts; her daughter, Jennifer (Roberts) Breitfeller and her husband, William, and their children, Victoria Breitfeller and Anthony Breitfeller; and her daughter, Julie Roberts and her wife, Kina, and their son, Oliver Roberts. She is also survived by her siblings, Linda Foster and Vadis Sagadraca.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Otto and Zula Umlauf.

Lana spent her professional life caring for others. She began her career as a CNA, becoming a RN, and retiring as a VP at Florida Hospital.

Lana did not grow up with much, so when she reached a point in life where she had something extra, she shared it. Food, gifts, money, time, or a place to stay, Lana believed what she had was meant to be enjoyed by the people around her.

Lana became the “bonus mom” to generations of her children's friends. She kept the house stocked with snacks and made hers the cool house, the place where everyone wanted to hang out. She wanted her children close, and if that meant feeding half the neighborhood to accomplish it, that was a perfectly acceptable arrangement. There was always room for one more.

Lana loved to cook, but feeding people was about much more than food. It was one of the ways she showed love. If you were in her home, she wanted you comfortable, fed, included, and cared for. But there was one thing she was better at than feeding people: giving gifts.

Christmas was Lana's Super Bowl. There were stacks of presents for everyone, and she kept spare gifts on hand for anyone who might happen to visit. No one was going to walk into Lana's home on Christmas and sit empty-handed while everyone else opened presents.

There was also an important rule when dealing with Lana: be very careful about casually mentioning that you liked something. Say you liked a particular thing once, and by Christmas Lana might have located seemingly every version of it available for purchase. A passing comment could become an entire themed collection beneath the tree. It was excessive, funny, and wonderfully Lana.

She loved Dolly Parton, blonde hair, and her Tennessee roots. She had a bright smile, an easy laugh, and rarely met a stranger. She was generous, almost to a fault, and would give someone her last dollar if she thought they needed it more than she did.

Lana also adored dogs, she rescued more than 20 over her life and they lived the rest of their lives completely spoiled. And for the many people lucky enough to be loved, fed, welcomed, cared for, spoiled, or occasionally buried beneath Christmas presents by Lana, that generosity will be her legacy.

A thanks for Lana party will be held November 14 in Greeneville, Tennessee, with additional details to follow.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made in Lana's memory to the Greeneville-Greene County Humane Society, honoring a woman who believed wholeheartedly in taking care of those who needed a home, whether they had two legs or four.

At her request she will be cremated.

A memorial service will be conducted at a later date.

Kiser-Rose Hill Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.kiserrosehillfuneralhome.com