Charles J. Jakey Rankin Obituary (1919

Charles J. Jakey Rankin, 96, a lifelong resident of Crossville, Illinois, passed away on July 14, 2015, at Wabash Christian Retirement Center in Carmi, Illinois. Jakey, as he was known by his many friends, was born on April 13, 1919, the first son of Vern and Margaret (Jacobs) Rankin. He grew up in the Fox Island Bottoms along the Wabash River and learned to farm, hunt, and trap with his extended Jacobs family. He was a proud Army Veteran of WWII, and served in a heavy artillery unit under General George Patton in the Allied campaign across Northern Africa, Sicily, and Italy. Upon returning from the war, he married Wilma Sturm in 1946, and began farming north of Crossville. He retired from farming in 1982 to devote all of his time to his real passion which was horses and trail riding. A lifelong cowboy, he especially enjoyed trail riding in the Shawnee National Forest. He, his wife, and several friends rode the River-to-River trail from Shawneetown, Illinois to Grand Tower, Illinois. He is survived by his three daughters, Donna Rankin of Crossville, Martha Hamilton (David) of Wheatley, Kentucky, and Norma Thurman (David) of Mt. Washington, Kentucky. He is also survived by 3 grandchildren, Jason (Vanessa) Thurman of Cincinnati, Ohio, Amanda Thurman of Lexington, Kentucky, and Clint Hamilton of Atlanta, Georgia. Preceding him in death are his parents, his wife Wilma, an infant son Robert Lynn, his sisters Laverne Bach and Joann Thrasher, and his brother Edward Eugene Rankin. Visitation is 5-8 pm, Friday, July 17, 2015, at the Cook Chapel in Crossville. Funeral is at 10 am, Saturday, July 18, 2015, at Cook Funeral Chapel in Crossville, with burial and military rites to follow at Oak Grove Cemetery in Grayville, Illinois. Memorial contributions may be made to the Wabash Christian Retirement Center Chapel, 216 College Boulevard, Carmi, Illinois 62821, or to USDA Forest Service, Shawnee National Forest, Attention: Wendy Cowsert, 50 Highway 145 South, Harrisburg, Illinois 62946, for horse trail maintenance in the Shawnee National Forest. Visitation: Cook Funeral Chapel Crossville, July 17, 2015 - 5-8pm Service: Cook Funeral Chapel Crossville, July 18, 2015 - 10am Memorials: Wabash Christian Retirement Center Chapel