Tom Rankin

The Messenger has received word of the death of Thomas Russell “Tom” Rankin, 86, of Vestavia Hills, Ala., who died May 29, 2015.
Services were held June 6 at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church in Birmingham, Ala., with burial at Southern Heritage Cemetery.
He was born in Union City to the late Russell Erle and Nelle Strother Rankin and was married to the late Betty Jean Massey Rankin for 54 years.
He graduated from Union City High School in 1946, where he was senior class president, editor of the school newspaper and played football. He had written sports columns for the Union City newspaper while in high school as well.
He graduated from the University of Tennessee Junior College at Martin, joined the Air Force in 1948 and was honorably discharged with the rank of staff sergeant in 1952. He graduated from Memphis State University with a bachelor of business administration and was employed as an accountant by South Central Bell for 34 years before retiring in 1988.
Locally, he is survived by his cousin, Gwynne Alexander of Union City.
Memorials may be made to Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, 1114 Oxmoor Road, Birmingham, AL 35209 or to Big Oak Ranch, P.O. Box 507, Springville, AL 35146.
6.17.15