Dorothy B. Rollins

Dorothy "Dottie" Pearline Rollins, 93, of Frederick, MD, was called home on Saturday, September 6, 2025. Dorothy was born on September 13, 1931, to the late Pearline Fredericks and Raymond Bowie. She was the faithful wife of James A. Rollins, married for over 39 years. From their union came seven children: Melba, James, Sherry, Gary, Pamela, John, and Karen.
Dorothy was educated in the Frederick County Public School system. She graduated from Lincoln High School in 1950. As a teen in 1949, she worked for Senator Charles Mack Mathias, a political representative from the state of Maryland. She later went to work at American Optical and Children's World Daycare Center.
Dorothy loved working with her hands and started her own ceramics business, aptly named "Dottie's Ceramics." She's painted hundreds of pieces and shared them with her children, friends, and community. Ceramics quickly became an integral part of her life. So much so that her children can recall many occasions where Dorothy would spend full Saturdays with her sister, Snookie, going to various ceramics shops to buy supplies. Her house and her children's homes still contain various ceramics from over the years.
In addition to ceramics, Dorothy found many ways to impact the community of Frederick. In the early 60's, she played a major role in a fundraising campaign to build the first children's playground at the historically black housing complex that she and her young family called home, Carver Apartments. She also helped to start a marching band called the Soulettes for the black community of Frederick.
Dorothy loved the Lord and was a long-time member of First Missionary Baptist Church. She was baptized as a child and remained devoted to the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout her life. She formed many bonds, friendships, and connections in her continued devotion to the Lord.
When it comes to Dorothy's interests, ceramics was only the start. Dorothy absolutely adored Christmas. Even in the heat of Summer, you could find several Christmas decorations up at her house, and on summer vacations with her family, she would often look for Christmas tree ornaments as souvenirs. It may come as no surprise that her favorite color was red, a color that adorned every room of her house and many of her clothes. Later in life, she also developed a fondness for the color yellow. Dorothy also took an interest in dolls and had an extensive doll collection. Her collection includes every type of doll you could think of (and many you might not), including porcelain dolls that she made, Cabbage Patch kids, and Michael Jackson "Thriller" figurines. Her favorite food to make was potato salad; she loved decorative carousels; and her absolute favorite thing to do was sit on the front porch and talk to her dear friend, the late Ms. Kay Davis.
Dorothy leaves to cherish her memory her: children, Melba (Kenneth), James (Arlene), Sherry, Gary (Denise), John, and Karen (Jovonne); grandchildren, Tracey (Remo), Lacey, Sirron (Osei), Asha, Kasheba (Kenny), Keona (Durwin), Noah, Eboni, Eric, Korea, Jazmin, Jada, and Kirsten; and great grandchildren, Chase, Tyrone, Shakera (Terrance), Jeremiah, Olivia, Kensley, Zaria, Charles V, Zoi, Zion, Zaylah, Malachia, Makayla, Makeal, Michah, and Bella; sisters, Lucille Bowie and Shirley Blango; and a host of family and friends.
She was preceded in death by her: father, Raymond Bowie; mother, Pearline Fredericks; husband, James A. Rollins; daughter, Pamela Wars; granddaughter, Kerry Rollins; daughters-in-law, Arlean Dingle-Rollins and Angie Rollins; brothers, Norman "Sun Boy" Bowie and Roy Bowie; sisters, Regina Bowens, Rose Bowman, and Bessie Pendleton; sisters-in-law, Doris Rollins and Estelle Rollins; and brother-in-law, Claybourn D. Rollins.