Marcus V. Rankin

Marcus V. Rankin, 80, of Morganton, NC died Friday, July 22, 2011 at the Burke Palliative Care Center in Valdese after a period of declining health. Born in McDonough County, IL on March 1, 1931, he

Marcus V. Rankin, 80, of Morganton, NC died Friday, July 22, 2011 at the Burke Palliative Care Center in Valdese after a period of declining health. Born in McDonough County, IL on March 1, 1931, he was the son of the late Glen M. Rankin and Helen VanEtten Rankin. Mr. Rankin was a member of North Morganton United Methodist Church.He attended Indiana University and then enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps. He was a golf professional at Pearl Harbor Naval Base and briefly played on the P.G.A. Tour. He was sent to Korea where he attained the rank of Sergeant and received the Purple Heart and the Silver Star. For a number of years he worked as a real estate appraiser.Marcus then became a tax administrator in Brunswick, GA and Macon, GA. He was later employed as a tax administrator for Burke County. He was a member of the Marine Corps League, Table Rock Detachment and was a member of the veterans group that met weekly through the Burke County Veterans Service Office.

He is survived by his daughter, Nancy Lynn Rankin of the home; a brother, James Rankin and wife, Janice, of TN; and sisters, Martha Rankin Kasler and husband, Lt. Col. James Kasler of Macomb, IL and Peggy Rankin York of Delray, FL.In addition to his parents, Marcus was preceeded in death by his wife, Patti Lu Michael Rankin, and a brother-in-law, Jerry York.A celebration of Mr. Rankin’s life will be held at 6:00 p.m., Monday, July 25, 2011 at North Morganton United Methodist Church with Rev. Neill Shaw officiating. The family will receive friends at the church following the service. Interment with military honors will be held at the Western Carolina State Veterans Cemetery, Black Mountain, NC. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Burke Hospice and Palliative Care, Inc. 1721 Enon Road, Valdese, NC 28690 or to A Better Life Animal Rescue, P.O. Box 8311, Morganton, NC 28680. Sossoman Funeral Home and Crematory Center is assisting the family with the arrangements.