Born in Lewes, Delaware on June 4th, 1933, Margaret Hastings or "Peggy" as she was known to family and friends, spent her childhood in her beloved hometown where she attended school and later worked in the billing department at Beebe Hospital. It was in Lewes that Peggy, as a teenager, met her future husband R. Randall Rollins.
Married for more than sixty-seven years, Peggy, with her independent spirit and sharp wit, proved to be the perfect partner for her charming and entrepreneurially driven husband. Together they had six children: Rita, Richard, Pamela, Robert, Timothy and Amy. Despite the demands of a large family and the family's expansive business interests, Peggy and Randall always prioritized the importance of togetherness in their family, whether that be weekly dinners at their home in Atlanta with their children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, annual summer family trips to a variety of places near and far, or quail hunting on their ranch in Florida, especially with favorite Labradors over the years such as Mulligan, Pete and Finn. Peggy's favorite place was by her husband's side, but her second favorite place was sitting on the porch in the summer at their beach house in her hometown of Lewes. No matter where they were, their love for each other was apparent and obvious to anyone who ever spent even the briefest time with them. Randall's affectionate teasing of Peggy was inevitably met by a forceful and pointed rebuttal by Peggy until it all ended in a cacophony of laughter and a story for the next family gathering. For sixty-seven years, they were inseparable, and they were the center of their family's world.
Peggy and Randall raised their children to appreciate hard work as a reward unto itself and to use their efforts and the resources available to them to enrich their communities and help those in need. As an embodiment of these teachings, Peggy and Randall founded The Ma-Ran Foundation in 1991 to enhance the well-being of communities through initiatives in medical research, public health, education and literacy, community development and religion.
The many beneficiaries of The Ma-Ran Foundation's efforts include: The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing (Beebe Healthcare); The Margaret H. Rollins Community Center in Lewes, Delaware; The Lewes Historical Society; The Children's Beach House in Lewes, Delaware; The Shepherd Center; Skyland Trail; The Rollins Child Development Center in Cartersville, Georgia; numerous health-related efforts at Emory University; Children's Healthcare of Atlanta; The Atlanta History Center; The Lovett School; The Rollins Center for Language and Learning at The Atlanta Speech School; Tall Timbers Research Institute; and Peachtree Road United Methodist Church. From its inception until her passing, Peggy served as a trustee of The Ma-Ran Foundation alongside her children, who continue the work started by their parents.
Peggy was preceded in death by her husband, R. Randall Rollins, her daughter, Rita Anne Rollins, her mother, Ruth Carpenter Hastings Ponsell, her sister, Patricia Hastings Lyle, and her brother, Robert Hastings. She is survived by her children, Richard (Kim) Rollins Jr. of Gulf Breeze, Florida, Pamela Rollins of Atlanta, Robert (Laura) Rollins of Vero Beach, Florida, Timothy (Andrea) Rollins of Atlanta, Amy Rollins (Nevin) Kreisler of Atlanta, and her brother-in-law, Gary (Kathleen) Rollins of Atlanta. Grammy was adored by 15 grandchildren and 12 great-grandchildren including: Richard (Lauren) Rollins III and children, Isabelle, Rand and Penelope; Chris (Lizzie) Rollins and children Christopher and Dorothy; Wilson (Alex) Rollins and daughter Andi; John Henry Rollins; Michael Oliva; Margaret Oliva; Jack (Mindy) Rollins and children Jax, Owen and Josie; Haley Rollins; T.C. (Kirsten) Rollins and children Luka and Levi; James Rollins; Joe (Natalie) Rollins and daughter Roux; Sam (Liz) Rollins; Ansley Kreisler; Madison Kreisler; and Ian Kreisler. Others that were special to Peggy include Eleanor Rollins, Annette Rollins, Carl Stewart, Delroy Whyte, and Jerry Scott among many other friends, nieces, nephews and extended family.
The family would like to thank Juanita Richardson, Audria Davy and Monica Maxwell for their excellent care and love for Peggy over the last several years.
The family will hold a visitation at H.M. Patterson & Son – Arlington Chapel at 173 Allen Road, Sandy Springs on Monday, December 15th from 5-7pm. Mrs. Rollins will be interred in the family mausoleum at Arlington Memorial Park. A celebration of life will be held at Peachtree Road United Methodist Church on Tuesday, December 16th at 2pm. The family will receive friends in Grace Hall at the Church following the service. In lieu of flowers, the Family requests donations be made to Peachtree Road United Methodist Church, The Margaret H. Rollins School of Nursing (Beebe Healthcare) or the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.
