Kemmons Wilson, beloved father, friend and businessman, died February 12 at his home in Memphis, Tennessee; he was 90. Kemmons is best known as the founder of the Holiday Inn® hotel chain and Orange Lake Resort & Country Club. Beloved husband of the late Dorothy Wilson, he was a loving father who is survived by their five children—Spence, Bob, Kem, Betty Moore and Carole West—14 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Kemmons was born in Osceola, Arkansas, but spent most of his life in Memphis, where he was well respected and well known for his business, community and philanthropic involvement. Kemmons was a wealthy man who traveled the world developing the Holiday Inns® lodging chain that made him an international business legend. He visited palaces and dined with royalty, yet he always stayed grounded and never flaunted his wealth or success.

A humble man
"I like to think that I'm so normal that anything I like, everybody else is going to like too," Kemmons said back in 1951, as he was forming the idea for Holiday Inn hotels. That thought could easily be the key to all his great success, because throughout his career Kemmons constantly focused on improving the lives of the average family. His bold vision, pioneering spirit and hard work made him a business icon, and he changed the hotel and timeshare industries forever.

Kemmons kept the "common man" in mind because he always thought of himself as one, and he never forgot his roots. He and his mom struggled greatly after his father died, and during the Great Depression they both worked hard just to survive. The desire to never be hungry again drove Kemmons to achieve.

A man who made dreams come true
What brought Kemmons the most success, though, was his dream of providing average families with comfortable, affordable vacations. In the early '50s, when Kemmons and his young family found it impossible to find nice lodging where they wouldn't be charged extra for children, Kemmons vowed to change that. He did that and more with Holiday Inn. In the early '80s, he began his second industry-changing quest—to build a first-class, affordable timeshare resort, and he did that at Orange Lake Resort. Throughout his working life, Kemmons helped countless families create wonderful, lasting memories together.

Even at the peak of his success, Kemmons remained personally involved in all his business ventures. He and his wife Dorothy always stopped to chat with employees and guests. One associate said, "He has something in common with the richest and the poorest."

Kemmons met many members of royalty, piloted his own jets, and traveled the world building a lodging empire, and he did it all while maintaining a down-home sense of self. Once, when Prince Rainier from Monaco visited Memphis to finalize plans for a Holiday Inn in his country, Kemmons took him to his favorite restaurant for some barbecue ribs.

A grateful and giving man
His generous, life-long philanthropy testifies to Kemmons' devotion to family and community. Whether it was to his church, the local university or civic groups, Kemmons gave joyfully and abundantly. He remembered how often he'd been helped along the way, and he was glad to help others in return.

As Kemmons reflected on his life, he spoke what could be his charge to the next generation: "Young people need to know how important it is to have a good reputation, to keep faith with everybody, to do what you said you would. And you can't do it by yourself. I've really been blessed by a lot of people having faith in me, and that's what it takes."

A man who blessed us with his life and works
Kemmons Wilson may have been blessed by a lot of people, but he surely blessed more by his life and his work than can ever be counted. He worked tirelessly to improve the quality of life for families around the world, and he will be remembered not only as a business legend but also as a caring family man and devoted friend who never forgot his roots.

He will be missed by many. And he will be deeply missed by those of us at Orange Lake.

For more on Kemmons' life and family