Obit of Rankin, Bill - Murray County, Oklahoma Submitted by: Dennis Muncrief 12 Mar 2006 Return to Murray County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/murray/murray.htm ========================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm ========================================================================== ::Hennepin Cemetery--?? Surnames: Rankin Gregg Originally posted at: http://boards.ancestry.com/mbexec/msg/rw/UaB.2ACI/1438 Bill Rankin Services for 1st Lt. Bill Rankin, 34, Davis, will be held at 2:00 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 21 at the Midway Hill Baptist Church with Rev. Willard McCartney, Jr. officiating. Interment will follow in Hennepin Cemetery with Hale's Funeral Home in charge of arrangements. Born October 1, 1971 in Pauls Valley to Jerry and Louise (Gregg) Rankin, he died Saturday, Dec. 17. A graduate of Davis High School in 1989, he married Carol Gardner on February 28, 1994 at Honolulu, Hawaii. He later attended Oklahoma State University. He joined the U.S. Air Force in June, 1992 and while there received his Master's Degree, achieving the rank of First Lieutenant. He distinguished himself in the performance of his service to the United States as an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile Combat Crew Assistant Flight Commander of the 742nd Missile Squadron, 91st Operations Group, 91st Space Wing at Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota. During his tenure, the wing received an "excellent rating" from the Air Force's inspector general. He updated 105 pages of simulator instruction in response to a revision of the national war plan and provided 344 hours of comprehensive training to missile combat crews resulting in highly qualified ratings. His stellar support led to his recognition as a Professional Team member during the 2004 Nuclear Surety Inspection. His expertise in nuclear operations were instrumental to the squadron's receipt of the Teddy Roosevelt trophy as "Missile Squadron of the Year" for 2004. He was awarded Meritorious Service Medal on November 23, 2005. Survivors include his wife, Carol, of the home; a daughter, Amber; a son, Luke; a stepdaughter, Lara and a stepson, Christopher; his parents, Jerry and Louise Rankin, Davis; his grandfather, William Rankin, Davis; four brothers, Wayne, Wynnewood; Terry, Waurika; Jason, Purcell and Michael Rankin, Joy; two sisters, Sherry Miller, Ada and Stacy Roberts, Ardmore and two grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his maternal grandparents, Don and Dorothy Gregg and paternal grandmother, Elsie Rankin. Pallbearers will be the Tinker Air Force Base Honor Guard. Honorary bearers will be Jason, Wayne, Terry and Michael Rankin, Shane Hale, Claude Miller, Ryan Rankin, Jason McCandless, John Tobey, Brian NeSmith, Howard Aaron and David Atkinson. ------------------------------------------------------------------- Return to Murray County Archives: http://www.usgwarchives.net/ok/murray/murray.htm