Birth Date: 07/05/1923
Deceased Date: 06/04/2025
Grace Graves Rollins, age 101, died Wednesday, June 4, 2025, in the SECU Hospice House of Smithfield after a period of declining health. Grace was born on July 5, 1923, in Seagrove, NC to Nancy Alice Frye and Joseph Orlendo Graves. She was the ninth of ten children. She is preceded in death by her husband, Arthur Rollins, son in law, Paul Rudd as well as five brothers and three sisters.
Grace was reared and educated in Randleman, NC. She became secretary to the manager of a local textile plant. During her career there she met a handsome young textile engineer Arthur Rollins, who began working after his service in World War II and graduation from Clemson University. Grace and Arthur were married October 22, 1949. They soon settled in Greensboro, NC where they started their family and made lifelong friends. They moved several times due to Arthur’s job with Burlington Industries and always added many friends from church, at the bridge
table or on the golf course. They moved to Smithfield in late 1966 and have called Smithfield home since.
Grace was an avid bridge player. She loved the game, her weekly group and the many friends she made at the table. She was a voracious reader who loved books and the joy they provided. She was a loyal newspaper reader, following the news, keeping up with current events and politics both nationally and locally, and was a proud, lifelong Democrat. She was a longtime, faithful member of the Dorcas Sunday School class at First Baptist Church, Smithfield. She loved her church and was a faithful volunteer for many years. She was a loving mother to her two daughters and her home was always a gathering spot for all their friends.
Grace is survived by daughters, Sally Rollins Ramsey and husband, Les, of Manassas, VA, Ann Rollins Rudd of Sparta, NC., several nieces and nephews as well as the Story and Andrews families, who are special extended family.
A memorial service will be held Monday, June 9, 2025, at 11:00 AM, with a visitation one hour prior to the service in Ryberg Hall First Baptist Church, 202 S. Fourth Street, Smithfield, NC, 27577.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a gift to her beloved church or the SECU Hospice House, 426 Hospital Road, Smithfield, NC 27577 in her memory.
