Richard Wayne Rankin

Richard Rankin, 64, of Quitman, Texas, passed away Friday evening, May 16, 2025, suddenly while visiting family in Iowa.

Richard Wayne Rankin, son of Vernon Sr. and Vivian (Strahan) Rankin, was born July 14, 1960, in Bryan, Texas. The family lived briefly in Houston, where Richard started school, before moving to Chireno, Texas. While in high school, Richard played on the basketball team and was a member of the F.F.A. organization; he graduated in 1979. He then moved to Arlington and began his career at Lockheed Martin Aeronautics, eventually becoming the lead machinist.

In 1979, Richard moved to a duplex, and after meeting his new neighbor, Richard and she became fast friends. Richard and Deanna Holtkamp were married on March 5, 1988, in Chireno, Texas. They remained in Arlington for a year before moving to Irving, Texas, where they made their home and were blessed with three children. Throughout his life, Richard enjoyed deer hunting (in his youth, skipping school to do so) and later competitive fishing with Deanna (he always lost due to having to bait and remove fish from Deanna’s hooks), and gambling at casinos wherever there was one. Richard was very soft-spoken, but when he spoke, people listened. He was Deanna’s best friend, love of her life, and whole world. He was also a skilled craftsman and carpenter; after his retirement in 2018, Richard and Deanna built their lakefront home in Quitman. They also assisted their son, David, in building his home and their son, Eric, in remodeling his home.

His family includes his wife, Deanna, of Quitman, TX; his children: David (Emy) Peacock of Quitman, TX, Tara (Benjamin) Hardy of Fort Worth, TX, Eric Rankin of Irving, TX; siblings: Vernon (Christy) Rankin Jr. of Etoile, TX, Karen Rankin of Timpson, TX, Charles (Belinda) Rankin of Humble, TX; and close sister-in-law and friend Denise Peacock of New Sharon; and many loving nieces and nephews.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents and brother-in-law Moe Peacock. 

A celebration of life is planned for Richard on Saturday June 28, 2025 at the Holiday Villages of Lake Fork(clubhouse) in Quitman, TX. 335 Geronimo Quitman, TX from 1:00pm-3:00pm.