Carl Padgett Rollins

Carl Padgett Rollins, 76, passed away on Wednesday, September 25, 2019, at Dalton Place Assisted Living Facility. Born on July 8, 1943, in Tallahassee, Florida, he was the son of the late Mack Arthur and Perdita Padgett Rollins. He was also preceded in death by his infant brother, Dennis Brendan Rollins.

Carl grew up in the Dawnville community “on a dirt road” as he sometimes liked to say. He graduated from North Whitfield High School in 1960, where he was the president of his class and voted “Most Likely to Succeed”. As a member of Boy Scout Troop 60, he achieved the rank of Eagle Scout. He attended Mercer University in Macon, Georgia, and holds undergraduate (Class of 1964) and law (Class of 1966) degrees from that institution. At Mercer he served as president of the senior class, chief justice of the Honor Council, vice president of Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity and was a ROTC Distinguished Military Graduate. He was admitted to the Bar in Georgia in 1966. From 1966-1968 he served in the U.S. Army as a commissioned officer at Fort Gordon (Augusta, Georgia) where he was a law instructor in the Military Police School. He returned to Dalton in 1968 and joined the McCamy Law Firm, where he practiced civil, corporate and estate planning law for twenty-three years. He joined Shaw Industries, Inc., in 1991 as vice president of administration and an officer of the company. He retired from Shaw in March, 2003.

Carl was intricately involved in the formation of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Whitfield County. With a strong committee of volunteers, the Dalton club launched in August, 2002. The Dalton unit was renamed the Carl Rollins Unit in May, 2003. He was inducted into the Boys and Girls Clubs Georgia Hall of Fame in 2013. Carl was very involved in the community as a leader and at one time or another served in the following ways: director of Dalton Rotary Club, director of Dalton/Whitfield Chamber of Commerce, president of the Mercer Alumni Association, trustee of Georgia Tech Parents Association, president of the Dalton Exchange Club, president of Big Brothers-Big Sisters of Dalton-Whitfield County, vice president and director/trustee of United Way of North Georgia, president of The Farm Golf Club, president of Dalton Golf and Country Club (twice), trustee of Dalton (State) College Foundation, member of Board of Visitors of Presbyterian College, commissioner of Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport Authority, trustee/vice chairman of Dalton/Whitfield Hospital Authority, member of the Legislative Issues Committee of Carpet and Rug Institute, district finance chairman of Boy Scouts of America, and chairman of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Gordon, Murray, and Whitfield Counties. Carl was honored by the Family Support Council as the Toast of the Town in 2003. He also received the Trail Blazer Award presented by the Martin Luther King, Jr., Celebration Committee in 2003.

Carl was an avid nature photographer, having produced an extensive and beautiful body of work from many of this country’s national parks. An avid music lover, he particularly enjoyed bluegrass gospel music. He was a member of ChristChurch Presbyterian (previously First Presbyterian Church) where he served as a Sunday school teacher, deacon, and elder. He also served as a trustee of Cherokee Presbytery.

Carl is survived by his wife of fifty years Carole Wyatt Rollins; daughter, Elizabeth (Betsy) Padgett Rollins Snyder and her husband David of Dalton; son, Henderson Wyatt Rollins and his wife Amanda of Subligna, Georgia; four grandchildren, Annabelle Park Rollins and Knox Arthur Rollins of Subligna; Gracy Elizabeth Snyder and Rollins Andrew (Drew) Snyder of Dalton; brother Roger Vining Rollins and wife Peggy of Dalton; sister-in-law and brother-in-law Brickey and Sam Perry of Granbury, Texas. Nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive.

A memorial service is planned for 2:00 p.m., Sunday, September 29, 2019, at ChristChurch Presbyterian, 510 South Tibbs Road, Dalton. The family will receive friends after the service in the fellowship hall of the church. Interment will be in the ChristChurch Memorial Garden.

Carl’s family wishes to express their heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to caregivers at Dalton Place, Amedisys Hospice, and especially Chris Barrett and his team.

The family requests that flowers be omitted. Memorial gifts may be made to ChristChurch Presbyterian, 510 South Tibbs Road, Dalton, Georgia 30720, or the Boys and Girls Clubs, Post Office Box 309, Dalton, Georgia 30722-0309.