William Henry "Skip" Rankin

1944 - 2025

William "Skip" Henry Rankin

September 27, 2025

Roswell, Georgia - William Henry Rankin, known universally to friends and family as "Skip," 81, a resident of Roswell, Georgia, passed away peacefully at his home on September 27, 2025.

Skip was born at Walter Reed Hospital in Washington, D.C., the son of the late Henry Herman Rankin and Annie Gertrude DeVille Rankin.

A proud veteran, Skip served in the U.S. Army before transitioning to the reserves in 1971. He dedicated the majority of his professional life to education, serving for many years as a respected business professor and administrator at Central Georgia Technical College in Macon, Georgia. He called Macon home for over three decades, where he raised his family and established deep community roots.

Skip embraced life with an open heart and an adventurous spirit. He was an avid traveler, having visited every continent in the world except Antarctica. He found joy in the simple pleasures of fishing and the excitement of playing cards and poker with his devoted circle of friends. Skip's character was defined by his personality: he had a warm, infectious laugh, a great love for his family, and truly never met a stranger.

Skip was preceded in death by his beloved wife of many years, Jocelyn Anne Rankin, who passed away in 2010, and by his siblings: Marilyn Overton, Michael Rankin, and Patrick Rankin.

He is survived by his three children and their families: daughter Stephanie Smith and her husband Kevin, along with grandchildren Vivian and Tyler; daughter Kimberley Macdonald and her husband Ben, along with grandchildren Charles, Nora, and Graham; and son William Henry Rankin III and his wife Valerie, along with grandchildren Jocelyn and Liam.

A family Funeral Mass will be held at Saint Jude the Apostle Catholic Church. Details regarding the time and date of the Mass will be shared privately with the family. A Celebration of Life will be held for friends and community members at St. George Village in Roswell, Georgia.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Medical Library at Mercer University School of Medicine to support the Jocelyn A. Rankin Student Excellence in Library Research Award. Gifts may be sent to Mercer University by mail as follows: Office of University Advancement, 1501 Mercer University Drive, Macon, GA 31207, or made online at giving.mercer.edu designating the gift to the Mercer Medical Library in memory of William "Skip" Rankin.