Betty Rankin

Age 77, of Vestavia Hills, passed away Friday morning, April 8, 2011 after a year-long illness.

Betty Jean was born in Manchester, Tennessee, and grew up in the Murfreesboro, Tennessee area. Following graduation from Walter Hill High School, she was employed by Southern Bell Telephone and Telegraph for several years. She had been a resident of the Birmingham area since 1959.

She was married to her husband, Thomas Rankin, for 54 years this month. In addition to her husband, she is survived by her son, Brian Rankin, of Vestavia, and daughters, Sandra Rankin of Leeds, Alabama and Elise Rankin of Eugene, Oregon, and by her granddaughter, Barbara (Anthony) Capps, and great-grandsons, Kaylon and Landon Capps of Pell City.

She is also survived by her brother, John (Ruby) Massey, and sisters, Mrs. Evelyn Beard, Mrs. Gracie (Gerald) Sullivan, Miss Anne Massey, all of Murfreesboro, and Mrs. Sue Smith of Antioch, TN, and 12 nieces and nephews.

Mrs. Rankin was a long-time member of the Sanctuary Choir of Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, and was also a member of the senior adult choir, the Dawsonaires. During her long membership at Dawson, she was involved in many activities including teaching Pre-School Sunday School, W.M.U., Soup Kitchen, and Meals on Wheels. She was an active member of her adult Sunday School class.

Betty loved to garden and had planted many beautiful flowers in her yard. She loved to sing and play piano, and she loved to sew.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Pierce Hilton and Lois Gregory Massey, her brother, Jack H. Massey, and two brothers-in-law, Vernon Beard and James Smith.

A celebration of her life will be held at Dawson Memorial Baptist Church at 11:00 A.M. on Friday, April 15, 2011. Visitation will be from 9:00 to 11:00 A.M. preceding the service. Burial service will be at 2:00 P.M. at Southern Heritage Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, her family requests that contributions to Betty's memory be made to the Music Ministry, Dawson Memorial Baptist Church, 1114 Oxmoor Rd, Birmingham, AL 35209.

The family would like to express our deepest thanks for all the prayers that were lifted up for our beloved wife and mother, and would also like to thank the nursing staff of 1-East at Mount royal Towers, and to Evercare Hospice

Arrangements under the direction of Ridout's Valley Chapel, Homewood, AL.