Robert Bolton Rollins

Robert (Bob) Bolton Rollins, 90 of Sunrise FL died April 6th in Aventura FL. Bob was born and raised in Flatbush, Brooklyn, NY, the son of Charles and Theresa Rollins. The son of a scouting family, he sang in the boys choir at Trinity Episcopal Church in Manhattan on Broadway and Wall Street where he earned his first dollar as a choir boy at 9 years old. He also as a young boy, attended the Lake Delaware Boys Camp. He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School and studied for a Mechanical Engineering degree at both New York Coopers Union and Polytechnic Institute of New York before joining the U.S. Army to serve his country in World War II (1942 - 1946). After the war, Bob started a career spanning over 50 years in Mechanical Engineering, raised three families including six children, lived and worked in 37 Countries and learned to speak 7 languages fluently. Bob chose to live life to its fullest taking advantage of every opportunity to have new experiences. He took these life lessons and shared them freely with the many friends and family he was fortunate enough to meet along his journey gaining the reputation as a witty, loving, interesting, intelligent and humble man, husband, father and friend. Bob Rollins is survived by his wife: Luz (Gena); six children: Robert Rollins and his wife Jennie, Thomas Rollins and his wife Nancy, Gregory Rollins and his wife Michele, Jacqueline Jarrell and her husband Lindsey, Christian Rollins and his wife Holly and John Rollins and his wife Lauren; eleven grandchildren: Emily, Andrew, Julie, Katie, Daniel, Melissa, Connor, Anderson, Heather, Megan and Emily, and two great grand children: Taylor and Aiden. Bob served his country in Military Intelligence branch of the U.S. Army during World War II from 1942-1946 and is a combat veteran of the war where he saw combat in Oran, Tunisia, Morocco, Algiers, Tripoli, Anzio and Salerno Italy. He was commissioned 2nd Lt. Infantry in 1944. He earned awards as a Sharpshooter marksman and fought in several theaters in Northern Africa and Southern Europe. Bob would share stories of the war including recon missions, landing on the shores of Italy, combat missions including a favorite anti-tank adventure, helping local residents and supporting his brothers in arms. These years were challenging for sure but gave him the foundation upon which he launched his life. Bob was extremely proud of his service to his country. After the war Bob started a career as a Mechanical Engineer in the petroleum refining industry. For thirty years Bob managed the engineering, purchasing, construction of oil refineries, petrochemical and chemical plants and related industries. He designed and built refineries and process plants throughout the world including the Hess Refinery in the St. Croix Virgin Islands, the CTIP Suez Refinery in Egypt, the Mendoza Refinery in Argentina, just to name a few becoming a recognized expert in oil refinery construction. His career started with the Foster Wheeler Corporation in 1946. He went on to work for Chemical Construction, Lummus, CTIP (Italy), Technicas Reunidas, the Meralco Manilla Electric Company, Hydrocarbon Research Inc, until finally starting his own consulting firm, Process Plants Consulting Services in 1985 where he worked on many projects including the US Agency for International Development, Carribean Development Bank in Guyana, US DOE Illinois Coal Gasification Group and Process Operators in Houston Texas just to name a few. While he was traveling the world he was a member of the Navy League and the American Club in Madrid to help him stay close to his country while representing his country overseas. Bob also proudly served of the American Arbitration Board as a Commercial Arbitrator for 10 years. Through his career, Bob was able to travel the world, meet people, learn languages, touch lives and collect experiences that few others could ever repeat. On the home front, Bob's first wife Juliana gave him his first two children Robert and Thomas. Both Robert and Thomas followed in their fathers’ footsteps becoming engineers and starting families of their own. Robert worked for many years as an electrical engineer and Thomas for Motorola where he authored several patents. Robert married Jennie and they have two children Emily and Andrew. Thomas was married twice. With his first wife he was lucky to have twin daughters Katie and Julie. Thomas is married to Nancy. Gregory was born from Bob's second wife Rose. Gregory also followed his fathers’ career to work in process plant operations. Gregory is married to Michele and they also have two children Daniel and Melissa. Cathy, Bob's third wife, is mother to Jacqueline, Christian and John. Jacqueline chose the medical field, is married to Lindsey and they have two children, Connor and Anderson. Christian works in business management is married to Holly and they have two children Heather and Megan. John works the performance automotive industry and has one child Emily with his wife Lauren. Most recently, Bob fell in love with and married Luz (Gena) Bernal. Bob lived in Sunrise Florida for the past 15 years where they enjoyed visiting with family, friends and neighbors; helping all; and sharing many exciting stories of his adventures in life. Bob Rollins lived life to the fullest and was lucky enough have great children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren whom he would proudly talk about. He would say that "in life you only regret the things you didn't do" and Bob leaves us with no regrets as he took full advantage of all of life's many opportunities experiencing all that life has to offer. He also wanted people to celebrate his life for all he was able to experience, accomplish and leave behind. We will celebrate Bob Sunday, April 26, from 10am-2pm with Service at 1pm at T.M. Ralph Funeral Home at 7001 Northwest 4th Street, Plantation Florida. Thursday, April 30, he will be interred at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth Florida, at 2:15 pm where he will rest among other honorable veterans.