Russelyn Rankin

Russelyn Rankin left this world on December 19, 2018. She was born in Blytheville, Arkansas, on May 16, 1951 to Russell Snyder and Freddie (Ratliff) Snyder. She graduated from Blytheville High School in 1969. She spent the majority of her professional career working in a variety of roles serving her community, starting with the Blytheville Chamber of Commerce, followed by the American Heart Association in Little Rock, Ark. and finally as the Executive Director of the Little Rock Ronald McDonald House, where she successfully raised millions of dollars and personally cared for hundreds of families. After retiring from the Ronald McDonald House, Russelyn moved to OKC in 2012 to be near her beloved sister, Pattie. On New Year's Eve 2014, she met Lt. Colonel Joseph Rankin, & after they married in 2015 she gave herself the title of "Mrs. Colonel". She worked at her fun retail job at Macy's for 5 years in OKC. Russelyn was fun-loving, loved to entertain and made every person she encountered feel special. She loved music and loved to dance! Her family was her priority, but she always made time for her many, many friends. She was a glamorous, one of a kind, special lady who is greatly missed by so many. Russelyn was preceded in death by her parents, Russell and Freddie Snyder, her sister, Pattie Spurlin and her daughter's loving step-father, Jeff Hartke. She is survived by her husband, Joseph Rankin of OKC, daughte,r Tara Gurley of Little Rock, Ark., step-son, Ryan Rankin & fiancé Jen Mace of Dallas, Texas, step-daughter, Hillary Perkins and husband Chris of Yukon, step-daughter Angela and Randy Kuhn of Orlando Florida, brother in law Bill Spurlin, nephew Ron Spurlin and wife Michelle of, Phoenix Ariz., niece Tracy Higgs, great-niece Jessica Higgs & fiancé Gabe Morales, great-nephew Jackson Higgs, and great-great-nephew, Beckett Morales, all of OKC, and her many friends at Macy's. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Ronald McDonald House of Little Rock. A memorial service will be held Thursday, Dec. 27 at 2 p.m. at the Resurrection Cemetery Chapel, 7800 NW Expressway, Oklahoma City, Okla.