Ella Marie Johnson Rollins

A live streaming of the funeral service can be accessed via the link: https://shilohnewsite.podbean.com/e/home-going-service-for-sister-ella-marie-johnson-rollins/

Ella Marie Johnson Rollins , 100, of Fredericksburg, transitioned peacefully on April 10, 2023, surrounded by her loving family. In her century of living, she lived a remarkable life of working tirelessly, overcoming obstacles, advocating for equality, and serving her community while achieving significant accomplishments as one of few local African American businesswomen in a challenging era.

Mrs. Rollins was born on May 18, 1922, in Tappahannock, Virginia to Samuel and Ella Muse Johnson. She was the last surviving sibling of ten children born to her parents. She attended and graduated from the Essex County Public Schools and joined the Grove Baptist Church at an early age.

At the age of 22, she moved to Fredericksburg to assist another Tappahannock native, Dr. Webster Lee Harris, in many of his businesses. She quickly became immersed in the local community and rendered over 75 years of dedicated and committed service to the Fredericksburg area.

A devout Christian, Marie immediately became a member of the Shiloh Baptist Church (New Site) in Fredericksburg in 1944 where she continued to worship most Sundays until her passing. She supported various church ministries and was an active participant in the Sunday School Ministry. In a quiet and selfless philanthropic effort, she donated her share of ownership of the historic McGuire Hotel to the church for a major sanctuary expansion in 1981. Mrs. Rollins received a Mayoral Proclamation in recognition of her more than 50 years of membership and service to the church in 2021.

Mrs. Rollins was a strong advocate of public K-12 and higher education. She was proactive in desegregating the Fredericksburg City Public Schools (FCPS) by sending her two daughters, the present FCPS School Board Vice Chair Malvina Rollins Kay and FCPS Superintendent Dr. Marceline Rollins Catlett, to the segregated Maury Elementary School five years before FCPS schools were fully desegregated. Marie's efforts and advocacy were very instrumental in her daughters' academic and professional achievements, of which she was immensely proud.

An active supporter of the Civil Rights movement in Fredericksburg, Mrs. Rollins participated in sit-ins at area restaurants, supporting the local activist efforts of Dr. Harris. Marie also attended the historic March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, where Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. delivered his iconic "I Have a Dream" speech. She also provided free transportation for many people to the city's electoral polls demonstrating her advocacy and support of voting rights for all people.

A successful businesswoman, Mrs. Rollins was involved in several Fredericksburg businesses for over 70 years, especially in the 500 block of Princess Anne Street --- the historic center of the local black business community.  She served as an administrator for the McGuire Company which provided accommodations at the McGuire Hotel during a time when such lodging was very scarce for blacks. The hotel was featured in the Green Book, a resource guide that featured facilities that served African American travelers in the South when such accommodations were limited.

In her role as a businesswoman, Mrs. Rollins was also actively engaged in providing affordable housing and accessible transportation services – a need which continues to exist in our local community. Marie managed affordable housing for City residents through the McGuire Company when such options were limited for people of color. After the closing of the McGuire Hotel, Mrs. Rollins became the driver of a privately-owned taxi for over 40 years and served in a leadership role as president of the Bumbrey Independent Taxi, Inc. during her later years.

In acknowledgement of her 100 ^th birthday, Mrs. Rollins was feted with a surprise drive-by and celebration. In recognition of her status as one of a few Fredericksburg Centenarians, Marie also received proclamations from several elected officials, including Fredericksburg Mayor Mary Katherine Greenlaw, U.S. Senator Tim Kaine, and U.S. Senator Mark Warner, citing her numerous achievements and contributions to her church, community, and the local business sector.

Marie was predeceased by her parents, Sammy and Ella Johnson; sisters, Mattie Cobb, Mary Susan Scott, and Louise Blake; brothers, Elliott Johnson, Samuel Johnson, Jr., Garfield Johnson, and James Johnson; and son-in-law, Victor Mario Catlett, Sr.

Mrs. Rollins leaves to mourn her two dedicated and loving daughters, Malvina Rollins Kay and Dr. Marceline Rollins Catlett; her two devoted grandsons, Marcel Kay (Monet) and Victor Mario Catlett, Jr.; two loving great-granddaughters, Malia Marie Kay and McKenna Nichelle Kay, all of Fredericksburg. She also leaves to mourn numerous nieces, nephews, cousins, extended family members, and friends.

A viewing will be held at A.L. Bennett and Son Funeral Home on Friday, April 14, 2023, from 5:00 PM to 7:00 PM and one hour before the funeral service. A funeral service will be held at Shiloh Baptist Church New Site, 525 Princess Anne Street, Fredericksburg, VA, on Saturday, April 15, 2023, at 10:00 AM. A live streaming of the funeral service can be accessed via the link: https://shilohnewsite.podbean.com/e/home-going-service-for-sister-ella-marie-johnson-rollins/ . The interment will follow at Sunset Memorial Gardens, 3702 Loren Drive, Fredericksburg, VA.