Betty Rankin

Betty Jo Rankin passed away peacefully at home with her family by her side the way she wanted on September 25, 2025, at the age of 96.

Visitation will be held from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 7, 2025 at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd.

Funeral Service will be 1:00 p.m., Tuesday, October 7, 2025, at The Hamil Family Funeral Home, 6449 Buffalo Gap Rd., with Charlie Helmer officiating. Burial will follow in Elmwood Memorial Park.

Betty Jo was born on November 21, 1928, in Guion in South Taylor County, Texas to Luther and Tennie McMillon. She was the fifth of six children, and the last of her generation with a lasting legacy. Along with her brothers and sisters, Betty experienced true ground roots of values which lasted her entire life. She was very proud of her experiences before becoming a "city girl", which included picking cotton along with the hired workers. She also learned the daily requirements of a true house engineer by taking care of her family along beside her mother. These traits showed up on a daily basis long into her adult life as she raised her family with extreme grace. She was known for her prompt etiquette with remembering thank you notes to people's kind gestures. Her memory was phenomenal for recipients receiving a birthday card. During high school, Betty was an avid basketball player. She was awarded her senior year with the American Legion Award, which was only given to one senior each school year. Achieving graduating as valedictorian became priceless in her ability to later instill the importance of education into her children, along with the influence of her husband.

After high school, her family moved from the family farm to Abilene, Texas, where she met her future husband, Hundley Rankin. Hundley finally talked Betty into a date after receiving a brand new company car, and her comment was, "he was really different." They were engaged nine months later. After they married, they moved to Kerrville, Texas, and started a family. Seven years and three kids later, the family settled in Fort Worth, Texas, where they established a legacy.

Betty and Hundley were very involved with Ridglea Presbyterian Church, specifically in charge of the communion services for over 10 years. They had a host of friends from tennis, to regular card playing nights, to extensive family reunions. Along the way, Betty was involved in groups such as the auxiliary wives clubs of Hundley's engineering groups, PTA, a bowling club (where she was a member of the 200 club), and countless hours of carpooling her three children.

She is preceded in death by her parents; loving husband, Hundley V. Rankin; sisters, Freeda McMillon, Easter Hothan, and Imogene Boozer; brothers, Regnal McMillon and Dub McMillon; son-in-law, Charles "Chip" Shumaker; and several loving brother-in-laws and sister-in-laws.

Betty is survived by her daughter, Nancy Shumaker; sons, Joe Rankin, John Rankin and wife, Angela; grandchildren, Charles "Casey" Shumaker III (Jamie), Stephanie Nicholson (Brent), Rachel Rankin, Dinah Elizabeth Rankin, and Travis Rankin (Mia); great-grandchildren, Luke and Colin Shumaker, Cayla Thomas (Jonathan), Kelsey Nicholson, and Theia Rankin; great-great-grandchildren, Annistyn and J.B. Thomas, and Romy Walker; and numerous nieces, nephews, and other family members.

The family would like to thank the enduring attendance of Dr. Robert Kelly to Betty and all of her family.

In lieu of flowers please consider donating to the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's, or a charity of your choice.

We will all miss her humming, which meant we knew all was right in the world.