Rollins, Therese M. (Terry) (Lutz) Therese M. Rollins died on July 24, 2021 in Las Cruces, NM, at the age of 59 after a hard-fought 11-year battle with esophageal cancer. She was born in Detroit, Michigan, the first of four children, and moved with her parents to Albrook Air Force Base in Panama when she was six months old. Her father was drafted and ran the medical base there. The family moved back to Detroit where he completed his residency training, then moved to Rialto, CA where he started his medical practice before moving permanently to Redlands, CA.
Terry spent her early years taking dance classes at the Vera Lynn School of the Dance in San Bernardino, California. Her whole family got involved, mom made costumes, her father and brothers occasionally danced, and her sister Donna (also very gifted) often performed by her side. She auditioned and was admitted to a summer ballet camp at a Colorado ski resort when she was in junior high school. It was sponsored by a Utah-based dance company called Ballet West, and they were so impressed with her and her sister that they were awarded the school’s first mutual / dual scholarship for their talent.
Terry auditioned in 9th grade and was inducted into a high school ballet school in Champaign, Illinois. She performed regularly in front of the audience, which reinforced her desire to dance professionally. She graduated from high school in just 2 years and was considered “quite gifted” as a ballerina majoring in dance at the University of Utah with an aim to become a professional at Ballet West. Unfortunately, Terry was tall and couldn’t find a dance partner of sufficient size and posture to accompany her. When she realized that this would never allow her to play leading roles, she returned home. Terry then accepted her father’s offer to lead his medical practice and proudly worked as his assistant for the next sixteen years until he retired. She did a great job for him and were both very proud of each other.
Terry was the daughter of the highly respected, late Dr. James E. Lutz. She is survived by her husband, David Rollins, of Las Cruces, NM, over 25; her mother, Jeannine Lutz from Beaumont CA; her brother James Lutz from Greenacres, WA; her sister Donna Christian of Birmingham, AL; and brother Steve Lutz from Chula Vista, CA. It leaves behind a multitude of family and friends, in-laws and outlaws.
Terry and her husband lived in the Spokane Valley, Washington for the past twenty years. She made so many wonderful friends there, having worked in a variety of fields from selling hospital equipment to bartenders and waiters. She never had anything bad to say about anyone. During this time, she also returned to school and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Marketing with a GPA of 4.0 and was promoted to a senior position at Kalispel Golf and Country Club. She and Dave moved to New Mexico in March 2020 to seek a warmer climate to retire to.
Your family would like to thank the medical communities of Deaconess Hospital and Cancer Care NW for their care approximately 11 years ago and the Mountain View and Memorial Hospitals in Las Cruces and the University of New Mexico Hospital in Albuquerque. One last special thank you goes to the Amber Care Hospice of Las Cruces for the extremely generous care.
Published by Spokesman Review on 08/15 until August 31, 2021.
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