Laura Rollins

Laura Lyn Black Rollins, a loving daughter, sister, mother, aunt, and friend, was born on June 14, 1963 in Brewton, Alabama. Laura was welcomed into this world by her parents Bonnie Carol Watson Black and Edgar Ansel Black Jr. and her two older sisters, Alisa Nan Black Champion (Michael) and Carol Diane Black Florida (Marlon). She was the baby of the family until seven years later, her brother Edgar Ansel Black III (Kim) arrived on the scene.  Booted from the caboose spot, she recovered from the disposition of being the baby to loving older sister to her brother Eddie.  She is survived by her mother Bonnie Carol Watson Black, daughters Sarah Elaine Thompson Piper (Ralph Bruce) and Victoria Lyn Rollins, and two precious grandsons Alexander Liam and Zachary Bruce Piper, her siblings, nieces and nephews Kathryn Diane Champion Ana (Eugen), Stephanie Michelle Champion Raney (Jared), Andrew Jonathan Florida (Heather), Michael Brent Champion Jr., Carol Michelle Florida Peek (Sherman), David Ansel Black, Hunter Anderson Black, and great niece and nephews Annelise Hope Florida, Asher Jackson Florida, Wyatt James Claridy, Canaan Jayce Florida, Baker Grey Raney, Avery June Black, and Gideon Davis Florida.

Throughout her childhood, Laura lived in Brewton, Selma, and Camden, Alabama.  She graduated from Wilcox High School in Camden in 1981.  She then attended The University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa where she graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design in 1985.  Laura was very talented in drawing and painting.  Recently she had begun showing her great niece, Annelise, fun ways to draw.  She loved children and always was able to get down to their level and bring out a smile.  Her greatest joy was her grandchildren. Her home for most of the last 30 years was the Stevenson/Scottsboro area.  She moved to Lexington, Alabama in 2020.  Laura worked as a Financial Analyst for most of her life and most recently as an Assistant Controller for Sanoh.  She loved her job and her boss and good friend Lynn Shankles.  She often spoke kindly of Mr. Aki and other co-workers.  As a worker, Laura had the objective of getting it done, whatever it was!  Her boss called her very proficient and "my right hand man."

If you didn't know, Laura also was an animal lover.  She owned several cats and over the years rescued more than one poor animal from peril.  Laura found joy in our horses and very recently said she hoped she felt good enough to visit the barn soon. She helped with Double R Rescue with her sister and others providing support so that others could care for horses in need.  Her favorite companion was her beloved Aussie, Sir Alfie.   He provided much entertainment and joy with his silly antics.  She loved his intellectual eyes, which seemed to understand so much, and he no doubt gave her many hours of happiness.

As a child, Laura loved to play with her siblings.  From dress up and Barbie to cowboys and Indians outside in the yard with all the neighborhood kids, she was always part of the fun.  Laura had a beautiful alto voice and often sang with her siblings.  She was full of love and wanted those around her to be happy.  Even as she became sick, she would light up and smile with children and bring smiles to their faces.  She would often do silly things, like jumping into the swimming pool, years ago, with all her clothes on to give everyone a laugh.  As children, her sisters would call her "little devil" teasing as children do, and she in return called Mom "Witchy-poo" for fun.  She was at times loud and boisterous and would be heard, and there was never a dull moment in her presence.

Laura was fortunate to have a large family with her siblings and so many aunts and uncles and cousins.  She still has three living aunts Helen Huggins, Sandra Stinson (Gary), and Ernie Walker.  She was blessed to have many cousins and as a child spent hours of fun time with them at grandparents homes.  Whether it was at her Granny’s home in town or at Maw Maw and Paw Paw's farm in the country, we all had fun.  They were the hardest working folks you could ever meet until our Daddy and now our brother Eddie.  However Pawpaw, like Daddy and Eddie, knew how to have fun.  On one such visit to the farm, all the cousins were on the front porch. Back then, every porch had a swing, and this porch was no different.  The thing was only about 4 or 5 of us could fit on the swing.  So we were swinging, telling stories, singing and playing with our little dog, Tippy.  Then on this night, PawPaw decided to get us kids a good one.  They lived on an old dirt road that eventually was graveled.  As we sang, he grabbed a sheet and threw it over his head and snuck down the road and worked his way back up.  Well y’all know what happened.  The dog went wild and we kept singing until we didn't.  So if you didn't know, Laura could move rather quickly when necessary, and at least four girls and a dog can go through a doorway at the same time. Laura used to tell that story about how she was left alone with the ghost, but PawPaw eventually took off the sheet and comforted her. Hours with those grandparents will never be forgotten.  We can look back now and learn so much from how hard our grandparents worked and how they lived such simpler lives and put their faith in God.  We learned from them without really realizing that we also have a living God that watches over us.  Laura believed that.

Laura had put her faith in God.  She had hope that she would receive a liver transplant.  Right up to the last days that she was conscious, she kept the hope.  But even if her hope for a liver faltered, her hope in God never did.  We spent much of the last few years and Covid years worshiping from home with Mom.  Laurs belted hymns out and loved to sing.  Many hours of our childhood were spent standing around the piano and organ singing as Daddy played.  She prayed and put her earthly life in His hands.  Her greatest desire was for her children to have the same love of God and  eternal hope that she had found.

Today is our day to say "Good-bye" to Laura.  We all loved her in different special ways.  Each of us will have the special moments we shared with her and hold them in our hearts forever.  May she rest in God's care for eternity.

Thank you for your prayers and comfort as we face life without her. She was loved and we will miss her terribly. God bless each of you.  We love and appreciate each one of you.