Zenta Emilija Bekmanis, born June 27, 1924 to Andrejs & Vilhelmina Bekmanis, the youngest of 5 children.  She grew up in Liepaja, attended the Institute of Music and also taught kindergarten until WW2 beseiged Latvia, and was forced to leave in 1944.

She made her way to the Latvian Refugee camp "Valka" in Nuremburg, Germany, where she met and married Harry Rollis.  In 1948, the couple was released from the camp and traveled to Belgium to work and live.  There, her 1st daughter, Aija, was born.  In 1951, the family left Belgium and traveled to Canada.  Then were sponsored into the US in 1955, making their home in Denver, Colorado.  There, her 2nd daughter, Lia, was born.

Zenta was a very active member of the Denver Latvian community.  Was a church member and the church's choir director for many years.  Also, she was a lifetime member of the Daugavas Vanagi (Daugavas Falcons) veterans organization as their secretary.  Her service to the organization was recognized with the esteemed gold emblem pin.