Rollin was born on March 11, 1958, and he grew up in Shelbyville, Missouri. He graduated from North Shelby High School and joined the Army right after graduation. He was on active duty, serving as a military policeman from 1976-1979. Rollin served in the Army Reserves and was deployed in support of Desert Storm, Desert Shield, and Enduring Freedom. He received numerous medals and honors for his 30+ years of distinguished military service.
After moving to Columbia, he served as a Deputy with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department from 1979-1986, and studied at Columbia College. He also served Boone County as a court services officer, and was a member of the Columbia Cosmopolitan Club. He also served as an investigator with the Missouri State Public Defender System from 1989-2007. After starting his own private investigation firm, he worked for nearly every attorney in town. He last served as a driver for Assisted Transportation.
Rollin loved the Green Bay Packers, traveling, old Westerns, old tractors, running the Katy trail and various races, and his beloved hound dogs. Everyone knew Rollin. Everyone loved him. He never met a stranger and he will be deeply missed.
He is also survived by his mother, Shirley Thompson, and his siblings, Connie (Corey) Sample, Sherry Kay Cuno and Gary Thompson; his nieces and nephews: Hope Moore, Aaron Walbrecht, Lance Walbrecht, Brandon Cuno, Ariel Cuno, Skyler Cuno, Morghan Cuno, Meghan Cuno, Colby Thompson and Josh Thompson; ten great nieces and nephews, one great-great niece, and twenty-five cousins.
He was preceded in death by his grandparents, his father, Rollin J. Thompson and two infant brothers.
A visitation for Rollin will be held Monday, March 28, 2022 from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM at Memorial Funeral Home, 1217 Business Loop 70 West, Columbia, Missouri. A funeral service will take place Tuesday, March 29, 2022 at 10:00 AM at MG L.E. Jones US Army Reserve Center, 1306 Business Loop 70 West, Columbia, Missouri 65202. Burial will follow at Missouri State Veterans Cemetery in Jacksonville with full military honors.
In lieu of flowers, the Thompson family respectfully requests that donations be made to the Central Missouri Humane Society (https://cmhspets.org/donate/) or MU Children's Hospital Patient and Family Assistance Fund (https://www.muhealth.org/giving/areas-to-support), both organizations that were near and dear to Rollin's heart.
