Sheldon Marsland RANKIN

Sheldon Marsland Rankin
Born on October 7, 1936 in Glace Bay, Cape Breton, N.S. to Harold and Lillian Rankin (big brother to Eric William Rankin and Kenneth Harold Rankin (deceased)), Sheldon Marsland Rankin passed away on August 30, 2016 at Sunnybrook Hospital, Toronto - complications of a large and loving heart.
Sheldon moved to Toronto as a young boy when his father, Harold, joined the Canadian Navy during WWII. Sheldon grew up playing on the streets and back alleys of Toronto's west side where he would often be found playing hockey for the Earlscourt Citadel team or in the Earlscourt Salvation Army band, where he played a mean E flat tuba... and then, at the age 18, he met Ruth Carolynne Richardson, a 16 year old sweetheart he met at the Salvation Army camp on Lake Simcoe. Ruth and Sheldon were married for 57 years but they were and remain soulmates after 62 years.
Sheldon joined the insurance industry in the late 1950's and through hard work, perseverance, strong core values and a lot of night school at U of T (where he obtained a Bachelor of Commerce degree), Sheldon enjoyed a long and distinguished career in his chosen profession. In a career that spanned 6 decades Sheldon was not only the President and CEO of Marsh & McLennan Canada (Marsh) for many, many years, in his 'retirement' he was also, laterally, the founder and CEO of Arch Insurance Canada and Chairman of Integro (Canada) Ltd.
When Sheldon wasn't working, traveling the globe with Ruth or poking around Ontario's antique shops he could most likely be found seeking solitude by reading, writing, petting his dogs, listening to music or watching sports on his island on Stoney Lake or in a shady spot at his home in Tortola, BVI.
Sheldon had a passion for many things but none more than family, friends and those that were not yet friends. He was a kind and generous man who would quietly, without ceremony or the desire for acknowledgment, try and help out anybody in need.
Sheldon is survived by (and who he will continue to watch over) his beloved wife Ruth, his children, for whom he was very proud, Lynne Vautour (Michael), Mark Rankin (Pamela) and his cherished granddaughters, Hannah, Jessica and Sydney.


He will be sorely missed by his loving family, his wide circle of friends, the Canadian insurance community and, of course, antique dealers everywhere.
Friends may visit at the JERRETT FUNERAL HOME 6191 Yonge Street, North York, (2 lights South of Steeles) on Tuesday, September 7th from 1:30 until Service time in the Chapel at 2 p.m. Reception to follow. In lieu of flowers, a donation to Toronto's Sick Kids Hospital in Sheldon's honour would be very much appreciated.