Jerry Dean Rollins, 88, of Ottumwa died at 6:10 a.m. August 20, 2026 at Good Samaritan Society – Ottumwa.
The son of Montey Macel Clapham & Everett Ray (Raymond) Rollins, Jerry was born October 31, 1937, about noon at grandparents Clapham home located north of Cleopatra, Missouri and south of Cleopatra schoolhouse on east side of the road. At that time the Rollins’ lived in Iowa just north of the Missouri Iowa state line (120th Street about ¾ mile north of Missouri Iowa state line on east side of road).
About 1941 the Rollins family moved to Missouri (1 ½ mile west of Cleopatra school on south side of road). Jerry attended the first eight years at Cleopatra school (one room country school). The school had outdoor toilets and sheds for horses, water well with hand pump and a coal shed. The teacher taught all eight grades, and younger ones got to listen to the older kids’ classes, and they learned from those classes also. Jerry lived there until 1956.
June 2, 1955, Jerry went to work for Dutch Ragan’s filling station and garage in Lineville, Iowa. May of 1956, Jerry went to work for Lennox Industries, Des Moines, Iowa. Jerry did not have a place to stay and the personal manager at Lennox Industries offered Jerry a place to stay with him and his wife (Jim & Joyce Cross who lived at 3515 Rollins St., Des Moines, Iowa) for a couple of weeks while Jerry searched for an apartment. Well, that couple of weeks lasted until September 1956 at which time Jerry was laid off. Jerry returned home and went to work for Jimmy Beavers garage and filling station in Mercer, Missouri. Jerry was fired from that job the day after Christmas 1956, because Jerry didn’t fix a flat tire that came in just before closing time on Christmas Eve. That day Jerry went to Des Moines, Iowa and applied for jobs at various places. Jerry got a call from Central National Bank & Trust on January 4, 1957, and went to work on Monday January 7, 1957 (stayed with Jim & Joyce Cross for a few months again). In the early 60’s Jerry started programing for Central National Bank & Trust data processing. Jerry was told this was the first (NCR) National Cash Register computer in banking west of the Mississippi River. January 7, 1965, Jerry went to work for Union Bank & Trust Company in Ottumwa, Iowa where Jerry started up their data processing department. December 1980 Jerry went to work for Third National Bank, Sedalia, Missouri as their Operations Officer & Comptroller. He and his wife later lived in Hollister, MO, moving back to Ottumwa in 2019.
Jerry was an avid Lions (Liberty, Intelligence, Our Nation’s Safety) member for almost 60 years in Iowa and Missouri. Jerry held many positions in the Lions Clubs that he served and obtained many awards for his accomplishments in Lions. Jerry was community minded and always looked for ways to improve the communities he lived in. He was a man of extreme integrity.
Surviving is his wife, Janice Kufer Rollins of 68 years; daughters, Janiece (JD) Durham of Tiffin, Iowa and Jerilyn (Steve) Gatlin of Ottumwa, Iowa; grandchildren, Jessica (Ryan) Westlund Joliet, IL, Jacob (Susan Milln) Durham Portland, OR, Heather (Corey) Lunkley Kalona, IA, Holly Ann (Cory) Lindberg Ottumwa, IA, Hillary (Mitchell) Usasz Johnston, IA; 11 great grandchildren, Brianna Westland, Allison Westland, Levi Lindberg, Garek Lindberg, Hayden Lindberg, Kellen Lindberg, Payton Lunkley, Haddie Lunkley, McCoy Usasz, Hudson Usasz and Tristan Milln; siblings, Arlene Benton of Pearland, TX, Gene Rollins of Freiburg, Germany and Gayle Rollins Bennett of Warsaw, MO.
He was preceded in death by Everett Rollins, who passed away February 1979 and Macel Rollins who passed away December 2009.
His body has been cremated and services are not planned at this time. Reece Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
