Ronald L. Rankin

WEST YARMOUTH — Ronald L. Rankin, 76 years old, died on Sunday, July 20, 2008, at the home of his daughter in Bridgewater, following a brief illness, surrounded by his loving family.

Born in Taunton, the son of the late Bright and Florence (Hodgkins) Rankin, he was a 1950 graduate of Taunton High School, where he excelled in basketball. He was a veteran of the Army, having served during the Korean War. He was formerly a member of the Winthrop Street Baptist Church in Taunton. He was employed by the Equitable Insurance Co. in the Newport, R.I., office and by the Lifschultz Freight Line Co. in Cambridge.

A longtime resident of Taunton, he had been a resident of West Yarmouth for the past 10 years. He was a member of the American Legion of Swansea and the Loyal Order of Moose in South Yarmouth. He enjoyed his summers working for the Town of West Yarmouth Park Department at the Resident Beach.

He is the husband of 55 years of Shirley (Cranmer) Rankin and is the loving father of Corinne Corr and her husband, Stephen, of Bridgewater, Debra Pierce and her husband, Win, of Yarmouthport and Michael Rankin and his wife, Victoria, of Pembroke. Ronald is the loving and adoring grandfather of Matthew and Kaitlin Corr of Bridgewater and Ethan and Elizabeth Rankin of Pembroke. Ronald was a special friend of Dr. David Sykes and Heidi Lombard, RN, of the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a time of memorialization of his life on Sunday, July 27, 2008, from 2 to 4 p.m., in the Crapo-Hathaway Funeral Home, 350 Somerset Ave., (Route 138 South), Taunton.

Donations in his memory may be made to the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 44 Binney St., Boston, MA 02115.

To light a candle, get directions or to access the memorial register, go to www.hathawayfunerals.com

Arrangements are by the Crapo-Hathaway Home for Funerals, 350 Somerset Ave., Taunton.