Lula Rankin

Published 12:00 am Saturday, June 16, 2007

FAYETTE — Services for Lula Mae Rankin will be 2 p.m. today at Taylor’s Chapel Baptist Church with the Rev. Percy Turner officiating.

Burial will follow at the church cemetery under the direction of George F. West Funeral Home.

Visitation will be from 1 p.m. until service time today at the church.

Mrs. Rankin was born Sept. 1, 1921, the daughter of Emma Patterson and Anderson “Sonny” Smith. She accepted Christ at an early age and became a member of Fellowship Baptist Church where she served as an usher and mother. She later continued to express her faith by moving her Christian membership to Taylor’s Chapel Baptist Church, in Fayette, where she served as a faithful member and mother until God called her home. Lula Mae was also a member of the Heroines of Jericho Court 202 in Fayette.

Early in life she married James “Dank” Williams and later united with Lieutenant Rankin. She worked with Southwest Development Senior Aide Program as a secretary for several years.

She was preceded in death by her parents; her husband, Lieutenant Rankin; a daughter, Sylvia Mae Rankin; four brothers, Anderson, Frank, James and Alex Smith; and sister, Emma Horton.

Survivors include a loving daughter, Betty Hamlin and husband, Dave, both of Fayette; son, Bernard Rankin Sr.; a dedicated granddaughter, Latyria Harried of Fayette; sister, Rose Mary Martin of Mount Kisco, N.Y.; brother, Claliborne Smith of Los Angeles; sisters-in-law, Marilynn Felton and husband, Lee Van, and Jessie Tyler, all of Fayette, Thelma Merritt of Detroit, Mich. and Jessie Mae Smith of Cleveland, Ohio; brothers-in-law, Melvin Rankin of Jackson, Willie Rankin and wife, Mamie, and Ivory Rankin and wife, Evonne, all of Fayette; a faithful niece, Georgia Smith of Lorman; godchildren, Hazel Robinson of Vicksburg, Robin Felton, Jerome Dixon and Janice Ford, all of Fayette; a special cousin, Annie Lee Keys and husband, Scott Sr., of Lorman; and a very special and sincere friend of 50 years, Ida R. Oliver of Fayette; 13 grandchildren; 21 great-grandchildren; four great-great-grandchildren and a number of nieces, nephews, other relatives and friends.