Nancy Lou Rankin

Nancy Lou Rankin, 88, of Georgetown, Kentucky, passed away on February 24, 2025, after a short hospitalization for injuries sustained in a fall.
Nancy Lou was born July 11, 1937, in Georgetown's John G. Ford Memorial Hospital, the last of seven children of Guy Arlington Rankin and Alta May McKenney Rankin. Family records include a check for $5.92 written to cover the cost of her delivery.
She graduated from Lafayette High School, Lexington, Kentucky in 1955, then earned a B.A. in music in 1959 from Cincinnati Bible Seminary. In college Nancy Lou was a member of the concert choir and traveled throughout Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky singing in churches and camps as the alto in a gospel quartet.
Nancy Lou worked as a secretary to the head minister at a number of churches, including First Christian Church Greeneville, Tennessee, First Christian Church, Long Beach, California, and Eastside Christian Church, Anaheim, California. She also worked for the Anaheim, California Police Department, First Security Bank, Lexington, Kentucky, and Imperial Bank, Costa Mesa, California. In 2002 at age 65 she retired as Administrative Assistant to the Chair of the Psychology Department at Indiana State University, Terre Haute, Indiana and moved to Stamping Ground, Kentucky. From there she joined Georgetown's Northside Christian Church and volunteered as office staff for years.
Nancy Lou professed her faith in Christ as a child and became a member of Berea Christian Church, Lexington, Kentucky where she enjoyed a large, active youth group. Every year she and her cousin Martha Browning Mitchell sang a duet "My Mother's Bible" but always thereafter she griped about another little girl who got to sing on Easter before larger crowds.
With a strong, passionate love for Kentucky, throughout life she moved back and forth between living/working in the Bluegrass and near her brother David and family in southern California. She fondly recalled an apartment where "I could walk to the beach," and "Orange County when there were still orange groves and the scent of orange blossoms in the air."
With a mother and father who were each one of nine children, Nancy Lou loved belonging to a large clan and growing up surrounded by over fifty first cousins. As her parents and siblings passed away, she worked hard to instill a sense of belonging in the next generations, faithfully sending birthday cards and publishing a family directory. Every year, even 2024, she coordinated a "Cousins Reunion."
Favorite memories of Nancy Lou include cutthroat card games, scripture readings at Northside Christian Church, and the willingness to join any social occasion, any time.
Preceding Nancy Lou in death are her parents Guy and Alta; her siblings Guy Arlington Rankin, Jr., David Rankin, Roger Rankin, Ward Rankin, Mary Ann Wogmon, Cora Sue Stark and their spouses. Remaining to cherish her memory and legacy are thirteen nieces and nephews and numerous grand-nieces, grand-nephews, and great-grand nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be held March 8, 2025, at 11:00 am at Northside Christian Church with the Memorial Service at Noon, and Pastor Nic Skinner officiating. Interment will be in Georgetown Cemetery where her ashes will be placed between her mother and father.
Knowing how Nancy Lou loved people, we think she'd say the best memorial donation would be for you to hug a friend or family member and treat them to a meal, concert or trip.
Online condolences may be shared at www.TuckerYocumWilson.com.