Roger Rankin

GEORGETOWN - Roger Thomas Rankin, age 87, on January 2, succumbed to a nine month battle with cancer at his home at Windsor Gardens of Georgetown. Roger was born January 19, 1926, at Jerseyville on the Fayette/Bourbon County line, the third of Guy Arlington Rankin and Alta May McKinney's seven children. He enjoyed as first friends the Rankin-McKinney clan's 35 first cousins who lived near his childhood home on the Georgetown Road in Fayette County. He graduated from Lafayette High School in 1944 and was drafted into WW II in 1945 to serve as a radio operator in the Aleutian Islands off Alaska after earlier rejection from enlistment as a pilot, due to poor vision. He enrolled in the Cincinnati Bible Seminary "for a year or two", planning to later transfer to UK, but surrendered to the ministry after his first weekend post in Constance, Kentucky yielded a surprising number of converts. Always shy, for years he threw up on Saturday night because he was so nervous about preaching on Sunday. He earned a BA degree from Cincinnati Bible Seminary, an MA in religion from Earlham College, and enjoyed fruitful ministries in Montpelier IN, Columbia KY, Kingsport TN, Rockville, IN, Portland, IN, founded Anderson Christian Church in Lawrenceburg KY, Eminence IN, and Carter County KY. He was an excellent gardener, an avid reader, and a ruthless card player who would outbid any opponent at Rook including the youngest, most vulnerable grandchild. He was a Kentucky Colonel, and a member of the American Legion and the Berea Christian Church. He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years, Martha June Giles of Turkeyfoot, Kentucky; and his brothers Guy Jr., David, and Ward. He is survived by his sisters Mary Ann Wogmon of Portland OR, Cora Sue Stark and Nancy Lou Rankin of Georgetown KY, and his four children: Steve (Mary) of Farmington New Mexico, grandchildren Peter, Mike, Sarah, Josh, and Hannah, great-grandchildren Maya, Phineas, Zella, Holden, Idan, and Kaya; Debbie of Brentwood Tennessee, grandchildren Thomas and Brian; Jan Kennedy (Tim) of Grayson Kentucky, grandson Ryan; Jill Henley (Phil) of Crawfordsville Indiana, grandchildren Karen, Kim, and Jacob, great-grandsons Dylan and Rafe. Visitation will be from 5-8pm January 7 at the Tucker Yocum Wilson Funeral Home in Georgetown Kentucky, memorial service at Berea Christian Church Lexington Kentucky at 11am January 8 with burial to follow at the Georgetown Cemetery. Pall bearers will be grandchildren and honorary bearers will be Marty Giles, Neal Riggs, Henry Sowers, Charles Wogmon, Bill Gore and Kail Ruffner. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to the Linlee School Garden fund, c/o Whittaker Bank PO Box 520 "Att: Washington Square" Georgetown KY 40324 or by credit card at www.crowdrise.com/rogertrankingarden/fundraiser/brianhunt1