David was born in Mohawk, NY on 7/22/1933, one of 7 sons of F. Russell & Blanche L. Woodford Rankins. He graduated from Mohawk Central School in 1952. He married his high school sweetheart, Mary C. Evans on 5/22/1954 at the Mohawk Methodist Church. When he was 13 years old, his father purchased a dairy farm in Paines Hollow and worked the farm with his father and eventually with his bride Mary until 1973. He took flying lessons in 1963 receiving his private pilot's license in 1966 and later earned his aircraft and power plant mechanics rating from Riverside School of Aeronautics, allwhile still working the dairy farm. After farming, he worked for Mohawk Airlines, Mohawk Central School, as a school bus driver and mechanic and completed his career working for the New York State Thruway as a construction equipment operator for 23 years until his retirement in 1995. David & Mary owned and operated MAC airport on Shoemaker Hill in Mohawk for 35 years. They enjoyed flying in his Cessna 140, camping in the Adirondacks, riding their Sea Doo, kayaking, four wheeling and snowmobiling. They chased their children and grandchildren around the U.S.A., taking many trips to various parts of the country and Canada. David and Mary were active members of the Relay For Life "Cancer Kickers" and belonged to the Paines Hollow United Methodist Church and Grange for many years. He was most recently a member of the Herkimer United Methodist Church. He was also a fire commissioner for the Town of German Flattsfor 9 years and a committee member for GLF Agway. David is survived by his loving wife, Mary, a daughter, Kim Baron (John) and 2 sons, Scott Rankins (Anita) and Todd Rankins (Joanne); seven grandchildren: John Baron, Nathan Baron (Leslie), Krista Ellow, Jeremy Baron (Renee), Bernadette Gonzalez (Jeff), Jessica Moore (Kyler) and David Rankins; eleven great-grandchildren Jonathan, Evan, Noelle, Nathaniel, Gabrielle, Samuel, Mark, Luke, Krista, Brooke, and Isabella; two brothers, Richard and Walter (Penny), his lifelong best friend and brother-in-law Charles Sterling; sisters-in-law Wilma Rankins, Nancy Pratt and several nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, and brothers Willis, Edwin, Ernieand Ivan; sisters-in-law June Rankins, Dorothy Rankins, NiogaRankins, Jean Sterling; brothers-in-law Bob Evans and Earl Pratt; son-in-law John R. Baron and nephews Ivan F. Rankins, Jr., and Shawn Rankins. Calling hours for Mr. Rankins will be on Saturday, April 15th from 4:00pm -6:00pm in Fenner Funeral Home, Inc., 115 Court Street, Herkimer. A funeral service will follow in the funeral home at 6:00 p.m. Memorial contributions may be made to Herkimer United Methodist Church, 127 N Prospect St, Herkimer, NY 13350; Herkimer County Office for the Aging, Meals on Wheels,109 Mary Street Suite 1101, Herkimer, NY 13350 or https://www.herkimercounty.org/services-and-departments/office-for-the-aging/or the Herkimer County Humane Society https://www.herkimerhumanesociety.org. Calling Hours

Saturday, April 15, 2023 4:00 PM - 6:00 PM

Fenner Funeral Home Inc. 115 Court St. Herkimer, New York 13350 Funeral Service

Saturday, April 15, 2023 6:00 PM

Fenner Funeral Home Inc. 115 Court St. Herkimer, New York 13350