Marcus “Marc” David Rankin (1954-2023)

On the morning of November 12th, Marc passed away at the Throckmorton County Hospital in Throckmorton, Texas after a long battle with a respiratory-related illnesses. Marc was 69 years old. Marc Rankin was born in Odessa, Texas, on August 12, 1954. He was the first child and only son of Gloria Jean (Dixon) and George Campbell Rankin. Marc was preceded in death by his only child, George Rael Rankin, his parents, Gloria Jean (Dixon) and George Campbell Rankin, and his nephew, Merritt Campbell McCarthy. Marc is survived by his sister, Melanie Rankin McCarthy and her husband, John David, nephew Christopher McCarthy and his wife, Lauren and their son, Collin, niece Katy McCarthy, as well as his former wife, Suzanne Patterson, mother of his only child, George Rael Rankin, deceased 1995. After attending the University of Louisiana, Marc worked in the oilfield starting as a roustabout and later as a salesman for Petco in Lafayette, Louisiana until the oil bust of the 1980’s. He then became a hunting/tracking guide in Colorado for several years, and when his health began to slow him down, he moved back to Texas and taught himself to weld. Marc discovered his love for metal sculpting and created many bigger-than-life art pieces that are installed throughout Texas. Marc was always looking to blaze new trails. He competed in local Mississippi motocross competitions on his silver Yamaha LT100 in the 70’s, during the 80’s jumped out of air planes with an acrobatic skydiving team, and with his own horses and chuck wagon rode the 6-month trail ride across Texas with the Texas Sesquicentennial Wagon Train, and in the 90’s raised fighting roosters and became a metal sculptor.

Marc rarely missed an opportunity to play music. He started out as the drummer in a garage band in middle school in Morgan City, Louisiana. They could play only three songs-- his favorite being Van Morrison’s “Gloria”, and he always gave a shout-out to his mom, Gloria, when the song was introduced. While in high school in Laurel, Mississippi, Marc was the drummer in a garage band that played at local hangouts, most of which he had to be accompanied by his parents so that he would be allowed to enter the venue. Later in life when he settled in Throckmorton, he cherished every minute of playing jam-session guitar with his Throckmorton buddies, Lynn Davis and John Morrow, who both preceded him in death. It is doubtful that anybody saw Marc these past 14 years without his dog, Jack, at his side. They were truly together in sickness and in health, with friends and family sometimes sneaking Jack into hospitals during some of Marc’s longest and most difficult stays. Jack is 15 years old, gray-faced and arthritic. Just days before his death, Marc stated that he believed Jack will soon follow him and requested Jack be buried next to him in the Throckmorton Cemetery. Marc fought his health issues for many years before his passing on November 12th. He will be remembered for his hard living, always pushing the envelope to live life his way, and most of all, for his gift for making everyone feel better from being around him. A person close to Marc suggested this obituary include these lyrics from the Tim McGraw song “Live Like You Were Dying” because these words fit him perfectly. “I went skydiving I went Rocky Mountain climbing I went two point seven seconds on a bull named Fu Man Chu And I loved deeper And I spoke sweeter And I gave forgiveness I’d been denyin’ Some day I hope you get the chance To live like you were dyin.” We’ll miss you, Marc. Marc requested a Celebration of Life rather than a traditional funeral service. This date will be announced soon on Facebook. He also requested to be cremated and his ashes spread in the bayous of South Louisiana. Cremation services under the direction of Smith Family Funeral Homes, Throckmorton.