John Thomas Kremer, Jr. was born in Winchester, Virginia on August 10, 1937, the son of Mary Ruth DeWitt Kremer and John Thomas Kremer.

Tommy attended John Kerr School, John Hạndley High School and graduated from The Mercersburg Academy and Hampden-Sydney College, with a B.S. degree. At college, he was a member of Kappa Alpha social fraternity.

He was a member of the Winchester Junior Chamber of Commerce as a Director and Internal Vice President. Tommy received the Jaycees SPOKE and Spark Plug Awards and was a recipient of the Robert S. Barbour Leadership Award. He was an Exhausted Rooster of the Jaycees.

He served on the 1965 Star Leadership Award committee. He was a member and former Board member of the Winchester-Frederick County Chamber of Commerce and was a former Director of 0ld Dominion Savings & Loan and the Northern Region of Jefferson National Bank.

In addition, Tommy was a former member, Director and President of the Northern Virginia Petroleum Association. He was a member, serving as a Board member and Chairman of the Virginia Petroleum Jobber’s Association for the years 1990-1991. After that, he served as Virginia’s representative to the National Oil Jobbers Council. He was also a member of the American Petroleum Institute. Tommy was honored in 1992 as being named the Virginia Oil Man of the Year and served on V.P.J.A.’s Board for 27 years and was Convention Committee Chairman for 17 years. In 2002, he was named the first recipient by being awarded with Honorary Lifetime Membership. He retired from the petroleum business in 2002, after 42 years.

He was a former local Co-Chairman of the March of Dimes and Chairman of the Heart Fund. He taught Red Cross Swimming lessons and helped with the petroleum division of the United Way for years.

He was first elected to the Winchester City Council in 1976 and served two terms. He was elected Vice President of Council and served his eight years as Chairman of the Municipal Buildings Committee and served the same eight years on the Public Safety and Utilities Committees.

He was a member of Moose, Judges Athletic Association, Winchester Country Club and the Corporation of Winchester Medical Center. He was a member and two time Board member of the Winchester Rotary Club, which he joined in 1961. He was named a Rotary Paul Harris Fellow and was a Rotary Benefactor. He served on their Student Loan and Special Projects committees and was a member of the Pit Crew who prepared the barbeques for special occasions and for Special Love at Camp Fantastic.

He was a member of Christ Episcopal Church where he was a former Sunday School teacher.

Tommy was married to the former Carolyn Shuler. Between them, they have four children, Tommy Kremer, III, Randy Kremer (Kelly), Tina Crabill (deceased) and Tommy Crabill, Jr. (Jacqueline). He was also blessed with five grandchildren, three by daughter-in-law Kelly and Randy; Kyle, Landen and Reid and two by Carolyn’s daughter Tina; Nikki and Kirbi.

A visitation will be from 6pm to 8pm on Tuesday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.

A funeral service will be conducted at 11am on Wednesday at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel with Reverend Dr. Kristin Adkins Whitesides officiating.  Interment will be in Mount Hebron Cemetery, Winchester, Virginia.  A reception will be held after the committal at the Omps Reception Center at Omps Funeral Home, Amherst Chapel.

Serving as pallbearers will be Kyle Kremer, Landen Kremer, Reid Kremer, Tony Fogle, Jay Yount, and Carlos Ayala-Eduardo. Serving as honorary pallbearers are Frank Armstrong, III, Dr. Steven G. Garrett, H.K. Benham, III, John R. Fisher, III, C. Monty Harris, Dr. W. David McWhorter, Rupert Warner and Dr. James C. Laidlaw. Posthumously serving as honorary pallbearers are Roger R. Ramey, Lloyd C. Boisseau, E. Dave Catterton and Lewis W. Parker, Jr.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Tommy’s memory to a charity of the donor’s choice.

“Now that I am retired, I like doing little projects in the yard (rolling in the dirt) as Carolyn calls it and try to play the game of golf, but most of all, I love and enjoy my family.”