Obituary: John Hanaford Rankin III, 93, Of Wallingford

WALLINGFORD, CT — (From Wallingford Funeral Home): John Hanaford Rankin III, 93, of Wallingford, adoring husband of Linda Jan (Wolfe) Rankin, passed away peacefully on October 24, 2022 at his home.

John was born in the Bronx, NY on June 3, 1929, the son of the late John and Frances (Mandeville) Rankin. After graduating from the Samuel Gompers Industrial High School for Boys in 1947, he served as a Sergeant in the U.S. Army and was stationed in Germany during the Korean War.

John went on to work for American Cyanamid for more than 47 years, first at Rockefeller Center in New York City and then in Wallingford. He was a Master Mason of the Ancient Free & Accepted Masons, Corinthian Lodge #103, and a member of the North Haven Congregational Church.

After his retirement, John volunteered with the Wallingford Symphony Orchestra, the Wallingford Public Library, and the Wallingford Senior Center. He had a passion for traditional New Orleans jazz, a love of backyard gardening, and a deep interest in his family’s genealogy. His childhood hobby of stamp collection led to a lifelong curiosity about world history and geography, and inspired his many international trips to explore different places and cultures on all seven continents.

In addition to his wife, Linda, he is survived by his loving daughter, Nancy Ann Rankin and her husband, Steven T. Kilian, of New York, NY; his beloved granddaughter, Izabel Gray Kilian; and his niece and goddaughter, Elizabeth Raucci of Bradenton, Florida. He was predeceased by his sister, Frances (Rankin) Adamo; his stepfather, Allan T. Carter; and his daughter Nancy’s mother, Carole Loris (Tabor) Rankin.

John’s family will receive relatives and friends at The Wallingford Funeral Home, 809 North Main St. Ext., on Friday, Nov. 11, 2022 from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. His funeral service will be held Saturday, Nov. 12 at 12 p.m. directly at the North Haven Congregational Church, 28 Church St., North Haven. Interment with military honors will follow in Northford Cemetery. His family thanks Susana Owusu Darko for her compassionate caregiving. Gifts in his memory may be sent to the Alzheimer’s Association, Attn: Donor Services, 225 N. Michigan Ave. Floor 17, Chicago, IL 60601, or www.alz.org.

For more information and to leave online condolences, visit Wallingford Funeral Home here.