DL Capt. Gerald J. Rollins

~ IN MEMORY ~

DL Capt. Gerald J. ‘Jerry’ Rollins

November 30, 1936 ~ December 31, 2013

Word has been received with the passing of Delta Golden Wings member retired DL Captain Gerald J. Rollins, husband of retired DL Flight Attendant Sandra Rollins.  Captain Rollins joined Delta Air Lines 01-03-1967 and retired at the mandatory age 60 in 1996 as Ld. Line Ck. Airman based 030/ATL.

Sandra writes that a celebration of Jerry’s life will be held at a future date.  For more information you may contact the family by e-mail at  geraldjrollinsfamily@comcast.net 

   

Thank you,
~ Carol

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Life Story:

Gerald J. Rollins, 77, of Panama City Beach, Florida, passed away peacefully on December 31, 2013 with his family at his side.

Jerry was born on November 30, 1936 in Quanah, Texas, the beloved son of Mattie Lou Drummond and Clarence Jefferson Rollins. He graduated from Lamar College (now Lamar University) in Beaumont, Texas with a Bachelor of Science in electrical engineering. Jerry was a Marine aviator, serving eight years in the United States Marine Corps and attaining the rank of captain. He joined Delta Air Lines as an Atlanta-based pilot in 1967 and retired as an L-1011 TriStar captain on December 1, 1996. He also served as a Delta Pilots Mutual Aid trustee for several years. A highly skilled and accomplished pilot with a sharp sense of humor, Jerry never met a stranger and made friends in seemingly every station and role in the Delta family. He loved to read about a variety of topics and was a thinking man with tremendous technical and mechanical abilities. Widely known for his integrity and fairness, Jerry gave selflessly and generously of his time and resources to family, friends, and even strangers. He was a deeply responsible man who strived to make the world a better place for others at every opportunity. He was a gift to those who knew him and will be greatly missed by his family and wide circle of friends.

Jerry was a precious husband and wonderful father. He is survived by his loving wife of 35 years, Sandra Swindle Rollins; his son, Gerald Judson Rollins of Seattle, Washington; his sister, Norma Palazzolo of Cincinnati, Ohio; and his mother-in-law, Virginia Wilkerson of Nashville, Georgia.

A celebration of Jerry’s life will be held at a future date. For more information, please e-mail geraldjrollinsfamily@comcast.net

In lieu of flowers, Jerry’s family requests that donations be made in his memory to the American Cancer Society or the Delta Flight Museum. More information is available at https://www.cancer.org/involved/donate/memorialgiving/memorial-giving or http://www.deltamuseum.org/about-us/support-the-museum.;