Obituary index

Margaret Rankin

[January 16, 2010]  LINCOLN -- Margaret H. Rankin, 88, of Lincoln, died peacefully Friday, Jan. 15, 2010, at 7:15 a.m. at St. John's Hospice in Springfield.

Visitation will be from 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Fricke-Calvert-Schrader Funeral Home in Lincoln.

Her funeral will be at 10 a.m. Tuesday at First United Methodist Church of Lincoln, with the Rev. Mark Kaley officiating.

Burial will be in Atlanta Cemetery, Atlanta.

Miss Rankin was employed by the Green Thumb government project for the mentally handicapped and with Logan-Mason Mental Health Center for more than 30 years.

She was born Aug. 15, 1921, in New Holland to Offie A. and Hattie Pittenger Rankin. Her mother died very young and Margaret was raised by her father and second mother, Esther Ritchhart Rankin, until Esther died. Margaret then lived with her sister Mary until moving to Maple Ridge Care Centre in 1982.

Margaret was the oldest of 12 children. She is survived by three brothers, Richard (and Janell) Rankin of Rocheport, Mo., Elmer (and Mardell) Rankin of Petersburg and Robert (and Bonnie) Rankin of New Holland; three sisters, Esther Boward of Middletown, Mary Hildebrandt of Lincoln and Frances (and Donald) Banister of Springfield; three sisters-in-law, Jessie Rankin of Lincoln, Carolyn Rankin of Greenview and Thelma Rankin of Columbia, Mo.; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was also preceded in death by four brothers, Offie "Jim," Kenneth, Harold and John; one sister, Patricia; and in-laws Harry Boward, Bernard Hildebrandt and Marilyn Rankin.

She was a member of the First United Methodist Church of Lincoln.

Margaret loved fresh flowers and jewelry. She rocked and bottled younger siblings and nephews, and as they grew she taught them to play Old Maid and create beautiful colored crayon artwork.

Memorials may be made to Logan County Food Pantry, the elevator fund at the First United Methodist Church or to the church of the donor's choice.

Click here to send a note of condolence to the Rankin family.