Duane Rollins

Duane was 60 years old. He was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico to Margaret (Peggy) Tuggle and Gareld (Gary) Rollins, Sr. His father was in San Juan in the advertising business. Duane had one sister whom he adored, Dawn DeLane Schwarz. The two were very close. He also was close to Dawn’s husband, Jeff Schwarz, and their two sons, Hayden, Brent, and his wife, Alex. Duane had many challenges in his young life, but with the help of the Lord, he came through them all. He also had three stepbrothers – Jeff, Brian and Gregg Duryea, and two half-brothers, Derek and Brook Rollins. He also was very close to his aunt and uncle, Trish and Peter Rosie, and their five sons.

Duane loved sports, particularly baseball, basketball and football, was a huge Astros and Rockets fan and suffered with the rest of us as a fan of the Oilers/Titans. He also had a beautiful singing voice which won him the lead as George Washington in the sesquicentennial play “Let George Do It”. He was later the president of the Stratford High School Marching Band and went on to study at Texas State University and the University of Houston.

Duane earned a certificate of honor repairing jet airplanes and airframes. He had a gift with anything mechanical. He gained a love for working on cars through his grandfather, Doc Tuggle. It was said Duane cut his teeth on the front of his grandfather’s car. He loved the sound of a well-tuned motor, particularly on the vintage car he and his grandfather brought to life.

Duane’s fondest memories were hunting and fishing with his father, stepfather and grandfather. These three men taught him life and how to live it as an honest, Christian man with character and decency.

Duane accepted life on life’s terms. He worked hard and was fair. He was a good employee and a good friend – he loved people, and they loved him. In his leisure he liked to grill and cook and was famous for baking his “apple pie in a paper bag”. He liked bright colors and working in the yard. He loved God’s word, a blond ponytail, a funny joke, beautiful Christian music, good jazz, the saxophone and the song “I Can Only Imagine”. He doesn’t have to imagine anymore.

To say he will be missed is a huge understatement. The world is more somber with the absence of his smile. His family invites you to smile more to try to fill the empty space he left.



Duane was passionate about spreading God’s word to others. In lieu of flowers, his family asks for donations to be made to Faith Comes by Hearing, 2421 Aztec Road NE, Albuquerque, NM 87017, or through their website: faithcomesbyhearing.com. Their goal is to work in partnership to see that the Word of God is recorded and freely provided in every language that needs it by the year 2033.