Oscar Rankin Sr.

Oscar Lane Rankin Sr., 85, Clarksville, died Wednesday, April 28, 2010, at Western Kentucky Baptist Hospital, Paducah, KY. A celebration of life service will be held at 1 p.m. Friday at Madison Street United Methodist Church with Rev. Lenoir Culbertson officiating. Burial will be in Greenwood Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-7 p.m. Thursday at McReynolds-Nave & Larson Chapel and from 12 noon until the hour of service Friday at the church. Mr. Rankin was born February 24, 1925 in Clarksville and was the son of the late Oscar Tate and Mary Frances Brown Rankin. He was a graduate of Austin Peay and the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Before retiring, he owned and operated Rankin's Mens Wear Clothing Store in downtown Clarksville for 35 years. During World War II, he served with the Tenth Army of Engineers in the Battle of Okinawa and afterwards with the occupation force. He has been a member of Madison Street United Methodist Church since childhood, was a member of the Willard Blue Bible Class and past Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Madison Street United Methodist Church. Prior to his retirement, he served as vice Chairman of the Cogioba District Boy Scouts of America and Chairman of the Salvation Army. He was the past president of the Downtown Development Association, the United Way of Clarksville, Downtown Kiwanis Club and the Clarksville Bass Club. Mr. Rankin was preceded in death by his parents and his wife of forty-two years, Dorothy Ann Bradley Rankin. He is survived by his wife, Mary Nell Rankin; two sons, Oscar Lane Rankin Jr. DDS (Sue), Clarksville, Bradley Tate Rankin, MD (Norma MD), Paducah, KY; daughter, Rev. Elizabeth Rankin Geitz (Michael), Shohola, PA; brother, William B. Rankin (Patsy), Murfreesboro, TN; and eight grandchildren. Grandchildren will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Willard Blue Bible Class. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Madison Street United Methodist Church, Womens Scholarship Fund, 319 Madison Street, Clarksville, TN 37040, or a charity of your choice.