Charles Constant Rankin

An inurnment celebration of life of Charles Constant Rankin, 91, Lawrence, will be at 11:30 a.m. Friday at Memorial Park Cemetery's James Naismith Memorial Patio. It will be followed by a luncheon.

Mr. Rankin died Sunday, Oct. 9, 2005, at Brandon Woods Retirement Community.

He was born May 31, 1914, in Salina, the son of Paul Crawford and Nita Belle Constant Rankin. He grew up in Lawrence and graduated from Liberty Memorial High School in 1931. He graduated from Kansas University with a journalism degree and then graduated from the KU School of Law in 1938.

Mr. Rankin operated an ice company at 19th and Massachusetts streets while going to school. He began practicing law in 1938 in Lawrence before becoming Douglas County's first draftee in World War II. He took part in the D-Day invasion and was subsequently the military governor of Garmisch Partenkirchen during the occupation.

He remained active in the Army Reserves until his retirement as a colonel commanding the Eighth JAG for Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Colorado and Nebraska.

Mr. Rankin served 18 years as probate, county and juvenile judge in Douglas County. He was active in founding Achievement Places in Douglas County. He was a member of the Kansas Civil War Centennial Commission, the board of directors of the Kansas Historical Society and a former president of the Douglas County Historical Society and the Lawrence Public Library.

Mr. Rankin also was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, Masonic Lodge and the First Baptist Church.

He married Elisabeth Brockhardt. She died earlier. He married Edyth Cottom. She died earlier. He married Polly Gowans on May 30, 1980, in Ottawa. She survives, of Lawrence.

Wednesday, October 12, 2005 ljworl