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BORN
1944
DIED
2021
R. Rankin Obituary
September 6, 1944 - June 24, 2021
Raleigh, North Carolina - Grady Rankin of Raleigh died peacefully June 24, at WakeMed Hospital following an extended illness. Born September 6, 1944, in Alabama, he was the son of the late R. Grady Rankin Jr. and Marjorie Rankin. He grew up in Gastonia, North Carolina, and in 1966, he married his childhood love, Sandra Stewart.
After serving in the United States Navy during the Vietnam war, Grady earned an undergraduate degree from Western Carolina and an MBA from Harvard, then began his business career in Philadelphia with two Fortune 100 companies. But it was entrepreneurship that inspired him. Between 1986 and 2004 Grady founded or co-founded five different companies. He took two companies public and successfully sold three. In 1991 he moved to Raleigh and co-founded State Capital Strategies, an internet-based legislative subscription service. In 1997, he sold the business to The Washington Post Co. while remaining as CEO. In 2005, he completed the sale and accepted a position as CFO of the NC Turnpike Authority. In the middle of the nation's financial crisis, he successfully designed and implemented what several Wall Street bankers described as the most complex plan of finance they had ever seen. The $1 billion project was hailed by the American Association of State Highway Officials as "2009 Best Highway Project in the US." Grady went on to successfully design and execute financing plans for three additional projects before he retired in 2012.
Universally liked by those who met him and beloved by those who knew him, his friendly, relaxed style made visits with Grady a joy. Ever the perfect chef and host, dinner at Grady's was always fun. He was a prince of a guy, a loving husband, a devoted father, and adoring grandfather. A genuine treasure has been lost and will be missed.
In addition to his wife Sandy, Grady is survived by his son, Rufus and his wife Ana and his granddaughter Cira. He is also survived by many cousins, including David Rankin, wife Anne and Sam Rankin, wife Susan, of Charlotte.
A memorial gathering is being planned with family and friends later this summer.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for R. Rankin
3 Entries
bob land
January 28, 2025
Grady was a great guy although he married above him. Sandy and Grady were our wonderful next door neighbors in Saint Davids PA. We rented vacation homes in the Atlantic City NJ vicinity for years. They attended our Passover Seders and we helped trim their Christmas tree. He was a kind and gracious man. But it is a little far fetched to claim he was a great cook. I miss him now having only recently learned of his death. Our good times sustain us. Love, Bobby
David Beck
July 19, 2021
Grady hired me at SCS in 1995 and I was lucky to work for him for nearly 4 years. He was a wonderful, kind person and an insightful and successful businessman. I know I had one of my best meals with him when he treated us at Mondo Bistro. Great memories and a life well lived. My condolences on his passing.
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