Franz A. Rankin, 89 of Discovery Village in Palm Beach Gardens and a former longtime resident of Lake Clarke Shores passed away on Saturday April 24 in Palm Beach Gardens. She was born on April 14, 1932 in Eclectic, AL to the late Terrell Thomas and Annie Lou (Kelly) Vardaman.
In 1950, she graduated from Lake Worth High School. She then went to Temple University in Philadelphia where she graduated from the School of Nursing program in 1953. She then worked as a post-surgical nurse at St. Christopher’s Hospital in Philadelphia from 1953 – 1955.
Franz then moved back to Florida where she worked as an instructor and nursing supervisor of pediatrics at Good Samaritan Hospital from 1955 – 1961. She then worked as a nurse at the Children’s Clinic in Lake Worth for 12 years.
In 1959, she married the late Robert E. Rankin who passed away in 2018. Robert and Franz helped establish the Lakeside Presbyterian Church in West Palm Beach. She was also a proud member of the PEO Sisterhood Chapter EZ in Lake Worth, which provides educational scholarships to women.
She is survived by a daughter, Diana Jacobs (Brad); son, Jeffrey E. Rankin (Jennifer); granddaughters, Sara and Olivia Jacobs; grandson, Benjamin Jacobs; granddaughters, Maxine and Kylee Rankin; and sister, Betty Cressman.
In addition to her husband she was preceded in death by her brother in law Frank Cressman.
Funeral services will be held at 10:00am on Friday May 7 at Lakeside Presbyterian Church, 4601 South Flagler Dr., West Palm Beach, FL 33405. Graveside services will be held privately at Hillcrest Memorial Park.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Lakeside Presbyterian Church’s "Christian Educational Fund" to the address above.
