Gerry Dale Rankin

Gerry Dale Rankin of Des Moines passed away June 10th, 2024, at Kavanaugh House surrounded by family. He and his twin brother Garry were born to Claude and Marjorie (Herriott) Rankin on July 12th, 1933, on the family farm in Taylor County Iowa. He attended country school and graduated from Bedford High School in 1951. After recovering from rheumatic fever, he went to Des Moines to attend Capital City Commercial College, graduating in 1952. He married Marie Rowe, daughter of Ellis and Margretta (Davidson) Rowe, his high school sweetheart, on March 22, 1953, at the Baptist Church in Bedford. They made their home in Des Moines until he was drafted into the Army in November 1953. He completed basic training at Fort Riley KS and Quartermaster schooling at Fort Lee, VA.  He was then transferred to Quartermaster Office Fort Bragg, NC until shipping out for Okinawa in December 1954. During his 29 days aboard ship, he befriended soldiers with the JAG office and decided he needed a college degree. He returned from Okinawa in August 1955 and began classes the next day at Drake University having been registered by Marie before his return. He graduated with a BS in Accounting in 1959 and went to work for Peat Marwick in Des Moines. He became a CPA in November 1960. After leaving Peat Marwick in 1964, he joined the State Auditor’s staff. In 1967 he was hired as Legislative Fiscal Director and he and Marie moved to an acreage outside Earlham where they lived for 20 years and raised their family. He left his position with the State of Iowa in 1982 to become a partner in Gardiner & Co.  In 1988 he joined Marie in Rankin & Rankin, which they operated together until retiring to the Lake of Ozarks in 1994. He was active in the Elks, American Legion, VFW, and the Ozark Chapel Methodist Church. In January 2000, they returned to Des Moines residing on 38th Street in Beaverdale where they spent many happy years as hands-on grandparents and tending a garden. They lived most recently at Edencrest in Beaverdale where they made many friends and were cared for by the wonderful staff.

Gerry is survived by wife Marie of Des Moines, daughter Natalie Mote and husband Dave of Des Moines; son Philip Rankin and wife Kristen of Chagrin Falls, OH; five grandchildren, August (Gus) Mote (Keli Wellman), Margretta (Greta) Mote, Elizabeth Rankin, Julianne Rankin, and John Rankin; twin brother Garry Rankin of Bedford, brother Frank Rankin and wife Carol of Ankeny, brother Danny Rankin and wife Beth of Vista, CA, sister Donna Rankin and husband Bill of Overland Park, KS; and many nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by sister JoAnn Herzberg and nephew Thomas Rankin.

Gerry was known to say, “Have a little fun every day,” and he did. He found enjoyment in traveling with Marie (and later Natalie and Phil), boating at Okoboji, Rathbun, and the Lake of the Ozarks, planting trees (he planted thousands during his lifetime), and activities with his grandchildren such as breakfast at the Dahl’s counter, feeding the ducks at the Glendale Cemetery pond, model boating and firing rockets.  He loved Jimmy Buffet’s music and a Hawaiian vacation.

A visitation will be held from 4:00 P.M. to 6:00 P.M., Tuesday June, 18, 2024 at Caldwell Parrish Funeral Home & Crematory in Urbandale, IA. A graveside service will held at 11:00 A.M., Wednesday, June 19, 2024 at the Fairview Cemetery in Bedford, IA with military honors presented by the United States Army and the local American legion. Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.caldwellparrish.com.

We thank the staff at Kavanaugh House for their compassionate care and for making the last week of his life one to enjoy. His was a life well lived until the end.

Memorials may be directed to the family for the planting of a tree or to Kavanaugh House in Des Moines.