Mary Catherine Evans Rankins

Mary Catherine Evans Rankins, age 90, of Mohawk, passed away peacefully on Thursday, May 28, 2026, at Bassett Medical Center in Cooperstown.

Born on May 19, 1936, in Ilion, Mary was the daughter of the late John P. Evans and Marie E. Charbonneau. She grew up in East Frankfort and graduated from Mohawk High School. On May 22, 1954, she married her high school sweetheart, David F. Rankins, at the Mohawk Methodist Church. Their loving marriage lasted nearly 69 years until David’s passing on April 8, 2023.

Mary worked the dairy farm with her husband, David and raised their three children on Creek Road in Paines Hollow, NY. They sold the farm in 1973. She was the Sunday School Superintendent at the Paines Hallow United Methodist Church for many years, belonged to the Paines Hollow Grange and the Hill & Dalers Home Bureau. Dave and Mary were “Cancer Kickers” members for the Relay Of life. Mary worked at Oneida National Bank in Mohawk for 23 years. She and David also owned and operated MAC Airport on Shoemaker Road in Mohawk for 35 years.

Mary enjoyed camping in the Adirondacks, snowmobiling, riding their Sea-Doo, kayaking, and four-wheeling. Mary baked and decorated cakes and candy houses for many years. They also cherished traveling across the U.S. and Canada with their children and grandchildren.

Mary is survived by her daughter, Kim Baron of Cape May, NJ; sons Scott Rankins (Anita Schmidt) of Lynchburg, VA, and Todd Rankins (Joanne) of Mohawk; her sister Nancy Pratt of Mohawk, brothers-in-law Charles Sterling and Walter Rankins (Penny) and sister-in-law Wilma Rankins. She leaves her loving grandchildren John Baron (Tania Schiavi), Nathan Baron (Leslie), Krista Baron, Jeremy Baron (Renee), Bernadette Gonzalez (Jeff), Jessica Moore (Kyler), and David A. Rankins and 15 great-grandchildren: Jonathan, Evan, Noelle, Nathaniel, Gabrielle, Samuel, Aurielle, Mark, Luke, Krista, Brooke, Isabella, Autumn, Delilah and Gemma. She is survived by several nieces and nephews. Mary was predeceased by her parents, John and Marie “Betty” Evans; in-laws, Russell & Blanche Rankins, her husband, David and son-in-law John R. Baron; her brother, Robert Evans and sister, Betty Jean Sterling, brothers-in-law Earl Pratt, Willis Rankins, Richard Rankins, Edwin Rankins, Ernie Rankins and Ivan Rankins; sisters-in-law June Rankins, Dorothy Rankins, Nioga Rankins, nephews Ivan F. Rankins, Jr., Shawn Rankins and Billy Loomis.

Visitation for family and friend will be held on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 from 3PM-5PM, Fenner Funeral Home, Inc, 115 Court Street, Herkimer, NY.  Following visitation at 5PM a Memorial Service with Gregg Sponburgh of Paines Hollow Methodist Church, officiating.  Burial will take place in Mohawk Cemetery privately and at the convenience of the family.

In Lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Paines Hollow UMC, 3139 State Route 168, Mohawk NY 13407 or Herkimer County Humane Society https://www.herkimer humane society.org.