01/16/2013
William Dwayne “Chick” Rankin was born February 15, 1932, in Knoxville, Iowa the son of Lloyd and Maude (Carter) Rankin.
Chick graduated from Knoxville High School with the Class of 1951.
Following graduation, he worked for Gambles and then for Western Electric.
On September 8, 1963, he was united in marriage to Linda Van Hemert.
Chick and Linda started a family and purchased the Coast to Coast Hardware Store.
They eventually sold out of the hardware business and founded Rankin Furniture,
which they operated until the mid-1990s.
Chick continued to work managing Rankin Properties and building and remodeling homes.
He didn’t retire until his health failed, beginning on November 12, 2012.
Besides working, Chick enjoyed flower gardening, and coffee breaks and was an avid Iowa
Hawkeyes fan. His greatest joy was visiting with his friends and spending time with
his family.
Chick passed away on Wednesday, January 16, 2013, at the Knoxville Hospital & Clinics
at the age of 80 years.
He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Katheryne; two brothers, Ralph
and Kenneth and his grandson, Derrick Rankin.
Those left to honor his memory include his wife, Linda; daughters: Deborah Carruthers
of Des Moines, Pamela Pearson of Knoxville, and Lisa (Kurt) Ciesielski of Altoona;
six grandchildren: Cody, Jaycob, Robbie, Samantha, Kylie, and Tyler; two great-grandchildren,
Alivia and Jude and his brother Dale Dwight “Ponch” Rankin of Fairbanks, Alaska
and many other family members and friends.