Bill's OBITUARY
MOHAWK-Willis A. Rankins (Bill) age 90, passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, March 15, 2018, in Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown. He had the comfort and support of his loving family at his side. He was born on March 29, 1927, in Mohawk, son of the late Russell and Blanche Woodford Rankins. A lifelong Mohawk resident he was a graduate of Mohawk High School. On August 21, 1948, he was united in marriage to the former June E. Miller in Paines Hollow. They shared a loving and devoted union of nearly sixty years until her passing on July 14, 2008. For many years Bill was employed as a computer programmer for the Remington Arms Company, retiring in 1983. He kept busy after his retirement. He owned and operated Bills' Variety Store first in Ilion later in Little Falls. He also raised dairy goats on his farm in Spinnerville and for thirteen years he and his wife June operated the Mountain View Memorial Gardens in Little Falls. Mr. Rankins had a strong faith in God and was a very active member of the former Valley Baptist Church in Schuyler. In his leisure time, he spent hours on his computer, researching genealogy. To all who knew him, he will always be remembered as a sincere, caring, and hard-working man with a wry sense of humor. He was happiest when he was with close friends and family, especially his cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be truly missed.
Surviving him are one son Donald W. Rankins and his wife Karen of Ilion, two daughters, Barbara J. Brown and her husband Kenneth of Bovina Center, Marilyn E. Harter and her husband James of Phoenix, AZ, five brothers, Richard W. Rankins, Mohawk, Edwin Rankins and his wife Wilma, David F. Rankins and his wife Mary, Ernest E. Rankins all of Mohawk, Walter Rankins and his wife Penny of NC, seven grandchildren, Corri Rankins of Phoenix, AZ, Kevin Brown and his wife Dawn of Bovina Center, Andrea Clark and her husband Richard of Dryden, Megan George and her husband Matthew of Edmond, OK, Rachel Fornaro of Chandler, AZ, Lacey Harter of Mesa, AZ, Ariel Molina and her husband Jonathan of Phoenix, AZ, thirteen great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Besides his parents and wife June, he was preceded in death by a brother, Ivan F. Rankins, and his grandson, Shawn Rankins.
Calling hours for Mr. Rankins will be held on Sunday from 2:00 until 4:00 pm in Fenner Funeral Home, Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer. A funeral service will follow immediately after at 4:00 pm in the funeral home with Pastor Gerald Scott, pastor of the former Valley Baptist Church officiating. Interment will take place later this spring in Mountain View Memorial Gardens, Little Falls at a time to be announced. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the American Heart Association. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
MOHAWK-Willis A. Rankins (Bill) age 90, passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, March 15, 2018, in Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown. He had the comfort and support of his loving family at his side. He was born on March 29, 1927, in Mohawk, son of the late Russell and Blanche Woodford Rankins. A lifelong Mohawk resident he was a graduate of Mohawk High School. On August 21, 1948, he was united in marriage to the former June E. Miller in Paines Hollow. They shared a loving and devoted union of nearly sixty years until her passing on July 14, 2008. For many years Bill was employed as a computer programmer for the Remington Arms Company, retiring in 1983. He kept busy after his retirement. He owned and operated Bills' Variety Store first in Ilion later in Little Falls. He also raised dairy goats on his farm in Spinnerville and for thirteen years he and his wife June operated the Mountain View Memorial Gardens in Little Falls. Mr. Rankins had a strong faith in God and was a very active member of the former Valley Baptist Church in Schuyler. In his leisure time, he spent hours on his computer, researching genealogy. To all who knew him, he will always be remembered as a sincere, caring, and hard-working man with a wry sense of humor. He was happiest when he was with close friends and family, especially his cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be truly missed.
Surviving him are one son Donald W. Rankins and his wife Karen of Ilion, two daughters, Barbara J. Brown and her husband Kenneth of Bovina Center, Marilyn E. Harter and her husband James of Phoenix, AZ, five brothers, Richard W. Rankins, Mohawk, Edwin Rankins and his wife Wilma, David F. Rankins and his wife Mary, Ernest E. Rankins all of Mohawk, Walter Rankins and his wife Penny of NC, seven grandchildren, Corri Rankins of Phoenix, AZ, Kevin Brown and his wife Dawn of Bovina Center, Andrea Clark and her husband Richard of Dryden, Megan George and her husband Matthew of Edmond, OK, Rachel Fornaro of Chandler, AZ, Lacey Harter of Mesa, AZ, Ariel Molina and her husband Jonathan of Phoenix, AZ, thirteen great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Besides his parents and wife June, he was preceded in death by a brother, Ivan F. Rankins, and his grandson, Shawn Rankins.
Calling hours for Mr. Rankins will be held on Sunday from 2:00 until 4:00 pm in Fenner Funeral Home, Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer. A funeral service will follow immediately after at 4:00 pm in the funeral home with Pastor Gerald Scott, pastor of the former Valley Baptist Church officiating. Interment will take place later this spring in Mountain View Memorial Gardens, Little Falls at a time to be announced. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the American Heart Association. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
Bill's OBITUARY
MOHAWK-Willis A. Rankins (Bill) age 90, passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, March 15, 2018, in Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown. He had the comfort and support of his loving family at his side. He was born on March 29, 1927, in Mohawk, son of the late Russell and Blanche Woodford Rankins. A lifelong Mohawk resident he was a graduate of Mohawk High School. On August 21, 1948, he was united in marriage to the former June E. Miller in Paines Hollow. They shared a loving and devoted union of nearly sixty years until her passing on July 14, 2008. For many years Bill was employed as a computer programmer for the Remington Arms Company, retiring in 1983. He kept busy after his retirement. He owned and operated Bills' Variety Store first in Ilion later in Little Falls. He also raised dairy goats on his farm in Spinnerville and for thirteen years he and his wife June operated the Mountain View Memorial Gardens in Little Falls. Mr. Rankins had a strong faith in God and was a very active member of the former Valley Baptist Church in Schuyler. In his leisure time, he spent hours on his computer, researching genealogy. To all who knew him, he will always be remembered as a sincere, caring, and hard-working man with a wry sense of humor. He was happiest when he was with close friends and family, especially his cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be truly missed.
Surviving him are one son Donald W. Rankins and his wife Karen of Ilion, two daughters, Barbara J. Brown and her husband Kenneth of Bovina Center, Marilyn E. Harter and her husband James of Phoenix, AZ, five brothers, Richard W. Rankins, Mohawk, Edwin Rankins and his wife Wilma, David F. Rankins and his wife Mary, Ernest E. Rankins all of Mohawk, Walter Rankins and his wife Penny of NC, seven grandchildren, Corri Rankins of Phoenix, AZ, Kevin Brown and his wife Dawn of Bovina Center, Andrea Clark and her husband Richard of Dryden, Megan George and her husband Matthew of Edmond, OK, Rachel Fornaro of Chandler, AZ, Lacey Harter of Mesa, AZ, Ariel Molina and her husband Jonathan of Phoenix, AZ, thirteen great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Besides his parents and wife June, he was preceded in death by a brother, Ivan F. Rankins, and his grandson, Shawn Rankins.
Calling hours for Mr. Rankins will be held on Sunday from 2:00 until 4:00 pm in Fenner Funeral Home, Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer. A funeral service will follow immediately after at 4:00 pm in the funeral home with Pastor Gerald Scott, pastor of the former Valley Baptist Church officiating. Interment will take place later this spring in Mountain View Memorial Gardens, Little Falls at a time to be announced. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the American Heart Association. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
MOHAWK-Willis A. Rankins (Bill) age 90, passed away peacefully on Thursday morning, March 15, 2018, in Bassett Medical Center, Cooperstown. He had the comfort and support of his loving family at his side. He was born on March 29, 1927, in Mohawk, son of the late Russell and Blanche Woodford Rankins. A lifelong Mohawk resident he was a graduate of Mohawk High School. On August 21, 1948, he was united in marriage to the former June E. Miller in Paines Hollow. They shared a loving and devoted union of nearly sixty years until her passing on July 14, 2008. For many years Bill was employed as a computer programmer for the Remington Arms Company, retiring in 1983. He kept busy after his retirement. He owned and operated Bills' Variety Store first in Ilion later in Little Falls. He also raised dairy goats on his farm in Spinnerville and for thirteen years he and his wife June operated the Mountain View Memorial Gardens in Little Falls. Mr. Rankins had a strong faith in God and was a very active member of the former Valley Baptist Church in Schuyler. In his leisure time, he spent hours on his computer, researching genealogy. To all who knew him, he will always be remembered as a sincere, caring, and hard-working man with a wry sense of humor. He was happiest when he was with close friends and family, especially his cherished grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He will be truly missed.
Surviving him are one son Donald W. Rankins and his wife Karen of Ilion, two daughters, Barbara J. Brown and her husband Kenneth of Bovina Center, Marilyn E. Harter and her husband James of Phoenix, AZ, five brothers, Richard W. Rankins, Mohawk, Edwin Rankins and his wife Wilma, David F. Rankins and his wife Mary, Ernest E. Rankins all of Mohawk, Walter Rankins and his wife Penny of NC, seven grandchildren, Corri Rankins of Phoenix, AZ, Kevin Brown and his wife Dawn of Bovina Center, Andrea Clark and her husband Richard of Dryden, Megan George and her husband Matthew of Edmond, OK, Rachel Fornaro of Chandler, AZ, Lacey Harter of Mesa, AZ, Ariel Molina and her husband Jonathan of Phoenix, AZ, thirteen great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and cousins. Besides his parents and wife June, he was preceded in death by a brother, Ivan F. Rankins, and his grandson, Shawn Rankins.
Calling hours for Mr. Rankins will be held on Sunday from 2:00 until 4:00 pm in Fenner Funeral Home, Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer. A funeral service will follow immediately after at 4:00 pm in the funeral home with Pastor Gerald Scott, pastor of the former Valley Baptist Church officiating. Interment will take place later this spring in Mountain View Memorial Gardens, Little Falls at a time to be announced. Expressions of sympathy may be made with memorial donations to the American Heart Association. Envelopes will be available at the funeral home.
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