Fr. Bill Rankin
Father Rankin passed away peacefully and entered the Kingdom of Heaven on July 11, 2015, with his loving family and friends at his side. Born in Glace Bay, he was the son of the late Bert and Kathleen (MacGillivray), Rankin. Bill attended St. Anne’s School, where in addition to being an outstanding scholar and senior class president, he was a multi-talented athlete, playing rugby, hockey, basketball, and serving on several championship teams. He graduated from high school in June 1955, then went to St. Francis Xavier University where he earned his BA in 1959 and his B.Ed in 1960 and was a member of the Collegians Singing Quartet and the Varsity 4 St. FX Quartet. He then attended Holy Heart Seminary in Halifax where he received his Bachelor of Theology degree. He was ordained to the priesthood on May 23, 1964, at St. Ninian’s Cathedral, Antigonish. His first appointment as a priest was to St. Agnes parish in New Waterford. The following year he was transferred to Star of the Sea Parish in Canso and St. Agnes parish in Little Dover. From 1965-67 he took on the triple parishes of St. Joseph’s, Bras d’Or; St. Anne’s, Alder Point, and St. Joachim, South Side Boularderie. During the years 1967-70, he worked with St. FX Extension Department in the field of co-op housing, and also at Immaculate Heart Parish, Sydney. In 1970 he taught English at Park Junior High, Sydney for one year and was later appointed to Mount Carmel parish, New Waterford, for six years, during which in 1972 he received his Master of Arts degree in psychology. In 1976 he attended Catholic University in Washington, DC for a year studying pastoral ministry. For the next number of years he served in the parishes of Holy Family, MacKay’s Corner; St. Lawrence, Mulgrave; St. Francis in St. Francis Harbour; Christ the King, Trenton; and Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Pictou Landing, where he received from the Mi’kmaq community there the title of Honorary Chief and was given the name ‘White Eagle.’ His last appointment was St. Michael’s, River Ryan, from where he retired in 1998 due to health. In all his parishes he was always active in the church choirs and youth groups. For the last number of years, he was still active in helping out parishes in Pictou County. Throughout his life, Bill was an avid hunter, fisherman, and trapper and cherished all the friendships he developed over the years. In retirement, he had several hunting expeditions with his very good friend Bobby McVeigh throughout Canada, the United States, and the Scottish Highlands. Fr. Bill will be sadly missed by brother Joe (Effie), Coxheath; nephew Bill (Dana) Rankin, and their family Melanie, Alexis, and Matthew, Edmonton, AB; niece Lisa (Fadey) Abidaoud and their family Daniel and Renee, Doha, Qatar; cousins and numerous friends. Besides his parents, he was predeceased by an infant sister, Margaret Mary.
The funeral mass was celebrated Thurs., July 16 at St. Anne’s Church, Glace Bay.
Memorial donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer Society, Heart and Stroke Foundation, or charity of choice.