Dr. Barbara Ellen Rankin was born on July 3, 1963, in Knoxville, Iowa to Phillip and Dorothy (Benscoter) Williams. She was raised in Pershing, Iowa and graduated from Twin Cedars High School in 1981.
On June 22nd, 1984, Barb was united in marriage with Lyle Rankin of Knoxville, Iowa. Together Barb and Lyle had two children, Cory and Colin Rankin.
Barb devoted her life to education and being an advocate for children. Her numerous degrees consisted of an A.A.S in education from Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny; her BA in education from Central College, Pella; her Master’s Degree in education from Iowa State University, Ames; her Principal and Superintendent certificate from Drake, Des Moines; and her Ph.D. in Child Behavior Analysis from University of Iowa, Iowa City. Barb’s teaching career began at the Christian Opportunity Center in Pella. She then taught at Twin Cedars, Prairie City-Monroe, and Pella Schools.
Upon completion of her Ph.D., Barb and her family moved to Bondurant, Iowa where she then began work for Heartland Area Education Agency, transitioning to the State of Iowa, and most recently Johnston School District as Director of Behavioral Programming and serving as Vice Principal of the Boys Y Home of Johnston.
Barb’s greatest loves in life were her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. She enjoyed numerous family vacations, most recently a vacation to Maine in July. Nothing could bring a twinkle to her eye more quickly than her grandchildren. All of her life Barb had a passion for cooking, she especially enjoyed this activity with her granddaughters. She also enjoyed riding with her husband on their trike, reading, quilting, antiquing, family get-togethers, playing card games and shopping with her sisters.
Barb retained her wonderful sense of humor and kept her smile shining brightly to the end.
On August 27, 2017, Barb passed away at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 54 years.
Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Lyle; children, Cory Rankin (Deidra) and grandchildren: Aurora, Amira, and Royce Rankin of Pella, Iowa; Colin Rankin (Cassandra Gull) of Mitchellville, Iowa; sister, Joy Johnson of Bondurant, Iowa; brother, Larry Williams of Bussey, Iowa; sister, Cheryl (Mark) Lilley of Bondurant, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Linda (Ron) Steenhoek; Lana Rankin; Lauretta (Jim) Utterback; Lori Rankin; Lynnette Rankin, all of Knoxville, Iowa; sister-in-law, Kristi (Loren) Rankin, of Harvey, Iowa; numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews; and honorary sister, Janis (Steve) Van Wyk of Pella, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, LaVerne and Louise Rankin; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, LaDonna and Alvin Godfrey; brother-in-law, Loren Rankin; and nephew, Lee Rankin.
On June 22nd, 1984, Barb was united in marriage with Lyle Rankin of Knoxville, Iowa. Together Barb and Lyle had two children, Cory and Colin Rankin.
Barb devoted her life to education and being an advocate for children. Her numerous degrees consisted of an A.A.S in education from Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny; her BA in education from Central College, Pella; her Master’s Degree in education from Iowa State University, Ames; her Principal and Superintendent certificate from Drake, Des Moines; and her Ph.D. in Child Behavior Analysis from University of Iowa, Iowa City. Barb’s teaching career began at the Christian Opportunity Center in Pella. She then taught at Twin Cedars, Prairie City-Monroe, and Pella Schools.
Upon completion of her Ph.D., Barb and her family moved to Bondurant, Iowa where she then began work for Heartland Area Education Agency, transitioning to the State of Iowa, and most recently Johnston School District as Director of Behavioral Programming and serving as Vice Principal of the Boys Y Home of Johnston.
Barb’s greatest loves in life were her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. She enjoyed numerous family vacations, most recently a vacation to Maine in July. Nothing could bring a twinkle to her eye more quickly than her grandchildren. All of her life Barb had a passion for cooking, she especially enjoyed this activity with her granddaughters. She also enjoyed riding with her husband on their trike, reading, quilting, antiquing, family get-togethers, playing card games and shopping with her sisters.
Barb retained her wonderful sense of humor and kept her smile shining brightly to the end.
On August 27, 2017, Barb passed away at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 54 years.
Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Lyle; children, Cory Rankin (Deidra) and grandchildren: Aurora, Amira, and Royce Rankin of Pella, Iowa; Colin Rankin (Cassandra Gull) of Mitchellville, Iowa; sister, Joy Johnson of Bondurant, Iowa; brother, Larry Williams of Bussey, Iowa; sister, Cheryl (Mark) Lilley of Bondurant, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Linda (Ron) Steenhoek; Lana Rankin; Lauretta (Jim) Utterback; Lori Rankin; Lynnette Rankin, all of Knoxville, Iowa; sister-in-law, Kristi (Loren) Rankin, of Harvey, Iowa; numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews; and honorary sister, Janis (Steve) Van Wyk of Pella, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, LaVerne and Louise Rankin; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, LaDonna and Alvin Godfrey; brother-in-law, Loren Rankin; and nephew, Lee Rankin.
Dr. Barbara Ellen Rankin was born on July 3, 1963, in Knoxville, Iowa to Phillip and Dorothy (Benscoter) Williams. She was raised in Pershing, Iowa and graduated from Twin Cedars High School in 1981.
On June 22nd, 1984, Barb was united in marriage with Lyle Rankin of Knoxville, Iowa. Together Barb and Lyle had two children, Cory and Colin Rankin.
Barb devoted her life to education and being an advocate for children. Her numerous degrees consisted of an A.A.S in education from Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny; her BA in education from Central College, Pella; her Master’s Degree in education from Iowa State University, Ames; her Principal and Superintendent certificate from Drake, Des Moines; and her Ph.D. in Child Behavior Analysis from University of Iowa, Iowa City. Barb’s teaching career began at the Christian Opportunity Center in Pella. She then taught at Twin Cedars, Prairie City-Monroe, and Pella Schools.
Upon completion of her Ph.D., Barb and her family moved to Bondurant, Iowa where she then began work for Heartland Area Education Agency, transitioning to the State of Iowa, and most recently Johnston School District as Director of Behavioral Programming and serving as Vice Principal of the Boys Y Home of Johnston.
Barb’s greatest loves in life were her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. She enjoyed numerous family vacations, most recently a vacation to Maine in July. Nothing could bring a twinkle to her eye more quickly than her grandchildren. All of her life Barb had a passion for cooking, she especially enjoyed this activity with her granddaughters. She also enjoyed riding with her husband on their trike, reading, quilting, antiquing, family get-togethers, playing card games and shopping with her sisters.
Barb retained her wonderful sense of humor and kept her smile shining brightly to the end.
On August 27, 2017, Barb passed away at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 54 years.
Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Lyle; children, Cory Rankin (Deidra) and grandchildren: Aurora, Amira, and Royce Rankin of Pella, Iowa; Colin Rankin (Cassandra Gull) of Mitchellville, Iowa; sister, Joy Johnson of Bondurant, Iowa; brother, Larry Williams of Bussey, Iowa; sister, Cheryl (Mark) Lilley of Bondurant, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Linda (Ron) Steenhoek; Lana Rankin; Lauretta (Jim) Utterback; Lori Rankin; Lynnette Rankin, all of Knoxville, Iowa; sister-in-law, Kristi (Loren) Rankin, of Harvey, Iowa; numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews; and honorary sister, Janis (Steve) Van Wyk of Pella, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, LaVerne and Louise Rankin; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, LaDonna and Alvin Godfrey; brother-in-law, Loren Rankin; and nephew, Lee Rankin.
On June 22nd, 1984, Barb was united in marriage with Lyle Rankin of Knoxville, Iowa. Together Barb and Lyle had two children, Cory and Colin Rankin.
Barb devoted her life to education and being an advocate for children. Her numerous degrees consisted of an A.A.S in education from Des Moines Area Community College, Ankeny; her BA in education from Central College, Pella; her Master’s Degree in education from Iowa State University, Ames; her Principal and Superintendent certificate from Drake, Des Moines; and her Ph.D. in Child Behavior Analysis from University of Iowa, Iowa City. Barb’s teaching career began at the Christian Opportunity Center in Pella. She then taught at Twin Cedars, Prairie City-Monroe, and Pella Schools.
Upon completion of her Ph.D., Barb and her family moved to Bondurant, Iowa where she then began work for Heartland Area Education Agency, transitioning to the State of Iowa, and most recently Johnston School District as Director of Behavioral Programming and serving as Vice Principal of the Boys Y Home of Johnston.
Barb’s greatest loves in life were her husband, children, grandchildren, family, and friends. She enjoyed numerous family vacations, most recently a vacation to Maine in July. Nothing could bring a twinkle to her eye more quickly than her grandchildren. All of her life Barb had a passion for cooking, she especially enjoyed this activity with her granddaughters. She also enjoyed riding with her husband on their trike, reading, quilting, antiquing, family get-togethers, playing card games and shopping with her sisters.
Barb retained her wonderful sense of humor and kept her smile shining brightly to the end.
On August 27, 2017, Barb passed away at Iowa Methodist Hospital in Des Moines, Iowa, at the age of 54 years.
Those left to honor her memory include her husband, Lyle; children, Cory Rankin (Deidra) and grandchildren: Aurora, Amira, and Royce Rankin of Pella, Iowa; Colin Rankin (Cassandra Gull) of Mitchellville, Iowa; sister, Joy Johnson of Bondurant, Iowa; brother, Larry Williams of Bussey, Iowa; sister, Cheryl (Mark) Lilley of Bondurant, Iowa; sisters-in-law: Linda (Ron) Steenhoek; Lana Rankin; Lauretta (Jim) Utterback; Lori Rankin; Lynnette Rankin, all of Knoxville, Iowa; sister-in-law, Kristi (Loren) Rankin, of Harvey, Iowa; numerous nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews; and honorary sister, Janis (Steve) Van Wyk of Pella, Iowa.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her father-in-law and mother-in-law, LaVerne and Louise Rankin; sister-in-law and brother-in-law, LaDonna and Alvin Godfrey; brother-in-law, Loren Rankin; and nephew, Lee Rankin.
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