SR0804 101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SR0804 LRB101 15158 MST 64307 r

SENATE RESOLUTION

WHEREAS, The members of the Illinois Senate are saddened to learn of the death of B. Don Rankin of Arcola, who passed away on October 25, 2019; and

WHEREAS, Don Rankin was born in Princeton, Missouri to William Harrison and Mary Zella Busby Rankin on June 6, 1943; he attended schools in Ravanna, Missouri, where he graduated high school in 1961; he graduated from Northeast Missouri State University (Truman State University) in 1965, where he was a member of the Blue Key Honor Society and president of the Sigma Tau Gamma Fraternity; and

WHEREAS, Don Rankin taught high school and college prep English at Benton Community High School in Van Horne, Iowa, until he began his career in publishing as an editor with the Webb Publishing Company in Minneapolis, Minnesota; he and his wife, Linda, purchased the Arcola Record Herald newspaper and a small trade magazine for broom manufacturers, the Broom and Broom Corn News, in 1977 and began the Rankin Publishing Company; he and Linda and their sons moved to Arcola in December of 1977, where he was a proud citizen and community supporter; and

WHEREAS, Don Rankin owned and published the Record Herald for 25 years, where his column, The Rankin File, was a favorite of readers; he and Linda added the trade magazines Maintenance Sales News, Busline, and Discover Central Illinois to the company and expanded the Broom and Broom Corn News into the Broom Brush and Mop magazine; during that time, they also owned and published The Arthur Graphic-Clarion, the Oakland newspapers, and the Free Press; in 2000, the decision was made for Rankin Publishing to focus entirely on its trade magazines, and that business and its dedicated staff continue to publish these magazines from Arcola; and

WHEREAS, Don Rankin was on the board of the Arcola Foundation for 30 years, serving as its vice president; he and Linda were named grand marshals of the Arcola Broom Corn Festival in 2016; and

WHEREAS, Don Rankin and Linda were lifelong members of the United Methodist Church, and he served the Arcola United Methodist Church as a representative on various committees and boards throughout the years; he was a past president of the Arcola Chamber of Commerce and The Arcola Sports Boosters; he was a member of the Arcola Music Boosters and other community organizations and a willing volunteer for community events; and

WHEREAS, Don Rankin was the grandfather of Sophia Zella Rankin, Cale Squires, Madison Rankin, and Caden Rankin; he was brother-in-law to Dr. Richard Jaspers (Joyce), Keith Jaspers (Karen), and Marcia Jaspers Hollatz (Richard) and a special uncle to his nieces and nephews; and

WHEREAS, Don Rankin is survived by his wife of 50 years, Linda Jane Jaspers; his sons, William Jason (Sarah) and Donald Chase (Lynn) Rankin; and his brother, Dr. W. Dale (Nancy) Rankin; therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE SENATE OF THE ONE HUNDRED FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we mourn the passing of B. Don Rankin and extend our sincere condolences to his family, friends, and all who knew and loved him; and be it further

RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be presented to the family of Don Rankin as an expression of our deepest sympathy.