In Loving Memory of
David Michael Rankin
1961-2021
Obituary of David Michael Rankin
David Michael RankinNovember 19, 1961 – January 17, 2021
On Sunday, January 17, 2021, our world got a little dimmer as our family said goodbye to our bright, humorous, and caring husband, father, son, brother, relative and friend. Surrounded by love, Dave peacefully passed away at the St. Catharines Hospital after a valiant fight against ALS. He will forever be loved by his wife Debbie of 33 years, and his children Devin (Mike Deschamps) and Darcy. Beloved son of Alex and the late Gloria Rankin (2013), and son-in-law to Ruth LaFreniere. Dave was the greatest big brother to Greg Rankin, and brother-in-law of Karen Rankin (Wil McKenzie), and Linda (Angus) MacGillivray.
He will also be missed by his nieces, Alex and Amanda, nephew James, Aunt Kathy Murray, cousins: Terry Cook (Rodney Milojevich), Kerri (Gino) Tropea, Kelly (Rich) Easton, and by many extended family members and friends, so many to name. Dave was predeceased by his brother Jeff Rankin (1995) and father-in-law Cecil LaFreniere (2014).
Born and raised in Niagara Falls, throughout his life Dave was quick to build many lasting friendships and relationships. You would not find a more reliable and charismatic man. He dedicated 33 years working for Canada Post, recently hanging up his hat and retiring January 2019. He loved travelling and visiting Disney World, where you would often hear him mimic Mickey Mouse by saying “Oh Boy!”
Although his first symptoms of ALS appeared in May 2018, this never stopped his spirit from being happy and motivated. Dave was an athlete. He enjoyed watching and playing sports, especially golf, curling and baseball. He happily kept active and involved right up until the past year. Some of his proud dad moments were when he coached his children, Devin and Darcy, with their sports teams.
Dave loved singing along to music, especially his favourite 80’s tunes; often very loudly and obnoxiously. He rarely took life seriously. He enjoyed every moment with those in his life and often sought out the brightside of any situation. We will forever miss the sound of his voice and that contagious laugh.
Our family would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to St. Catharines Hospital 3A staff and the palliative care team, Dr. Manser, Christopher of St. Elizabeth Health Care, LHIN, and Melissa Van Tuyl of the ALS Society for all their compassionate care and support.
Arrangements have been entrusted with Essentials Cremation and Burial Services. Cremation has taken place. Due to Covid, a Celebration of Dave's life will be held at a later date. When it is safe to be together, a special gathering, curling bonspiel and golf tournament will all be held in remembrance of Dave.
Our family would appreciate memorial donations given to local Niagara families who have a loved one battling ALS. To ensure that the funds are allocated and distributed locally, donations via cash, cheque or e-transfer, will be disbursed through the ALS Society (Niagara division), in care of Essentials Cremation and Burial Services. Please call Essentials for assistance with making a memorial donation 905-354-2133, or an e-transfer can be sent to [email protected] (please reference Mr. Rankin and ALS Society). Online condolences may be shared on David’s tribute page found at EssentialsNiagara.com.
Four D’s Forever!
Dave,
My Husband,
My everything
When we first met at Niagara College,
It was obvious
How funny you were.
And then I learned,
Behind all that funny
Was a guy with a great heart...
A guy who would do
Whatever's necessary
To take care of me, Devin and Darcy,
And a guy I would live
(Or laugh) with.
I love you
Miss you forever.
Love Debbie
Service Information
There are no upcoming public services scheduled or the service has occurred in the past.Write a Condolence
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Donations
The family of David Michael Rankin would like you to consider placing a donation to one of the following charities:
To local families in the Niagara Region who have a loved one battling ALS. Please contact Essentials for assistance with making memorial donations between 10am - 5pm by calling 905-354-2133. Cash or Cheque is accepted.E-transfers are also accepted and can be sent to [email protected] (autodeposit is already set up) Please reference on the e-transfer that it is for Mr. Rankin for the ALS Society.
Note: If you make a donation, please notify the family by posting a condolence.
We are so sorry to hear this sad news. Dave was such a wonderful person. Always had such a cheerful smile all the time, it just made you want to smile and laugh right along with him. He will be sadly missed by us and everyone that he touched. Know that we are thinking of you and the family at this difficult time.
Dave was a great guy, very happy, witty and always good to say hello. We were saddened to read of his passing. Many great memories of sports events and your home so close to the park. We hope strength and your great family, friends and memories will help you heal in your loss and grief. God Bless you all! Mary Jayne, Shawn and Shelagh Mulligan
Debbie, Devon and Darcy;
Our sincere condolences to each of you. We are keeping you all in our thoughts and prayers. Dave was a sweet sole and will be fondly remembered.
Debbie, Devin, and Darcy:
I don’t get enough characters or words here to express just how sorry I am for your loss. Dave and I were teammates for 13 years, but that time seems short compared to the laughs and memories I’ve accumulated in his company. His sincerity and kindness were obvious and apparent to anyone who met him, and I feel privileged to have had him as a friend. You remain in our thoughts.
Debbie, Devin and Darcy,:I”m so sorry to hear of Dave’s passing. I will always treasure the time I spent with Dave as he built the Saint Paul Curling Club. His enthusiasm was contagious! He gave so many students an opportunity to learn a new sport and to make new friends. He was always patient, encouraging and most importantly he made sure everyone had fun! Most definitely that club had the most fun out of any at Saint Paul. Most importantly though, through my time with Dave, his love of Debbie, Devin and Darcy was obvious. His smile was never bigger than when he was talking about all of you! He was a great friend, coach, dad and husband. I pray that the love you all share will help you to heal. Take care and God Bless.
We’re so sorry to learn of Dave’s illness and passing. Although we didn’t know Dave well, your words brought to life his sunny disposition and liveliness which will forever leave an impression. Think on the happy and funny times with him. He’s most certainly humming his favourite song and playing his favourite sports up there. His suffering is over. He’s with the others you love that have gone before him. Be happy for him and the time you shared. He will
help you through this. Our thoughts and wishes go out to you and your family.
So sorry to hear this terrible news.
My 💘 love, condolences, and prayers 🙏 go out to you and your precious family, Debbie! Thinking of you all.
Rest in peace Dave
Debbie, Devin, and Darcy, we are so sorry for your loss. Dave was such a wonderful person. As my skip in curling for several years, he taught me the game and was always a great teacher and friend on and off the ice. I will never forget his contagious laugh on the rink, his humour, and of course his expert ability at curling. He will be greatly missed, and we are all much better for having known him. Our deepest condolences.
To all the Rankings. I am so sorry to learn of Dave’s passing. What a great guy. He’s going to he dearly missed. Off to the next world of adventures. Take care.
Debbie, Devon & Darcy So VERY sorry to hear about Dave, we shared a lot of good times and laugh’s at Optimist park coaching the girls. It was very obvious then what a great guy he was and how life has lost one of the real GOOD GUYS. Our thoughts and prays are with your entire family.
When we were little kids, Dave and myself were on the same hockey and baseball teams for many years. Dave sure was a great sports guy, and l can remember him humming and singing along to the radio on the way to our games or practices. He was always a happy and friendly guy . I am very sorry to hear of Dave’s passing and our thoughts are with you.
What a beautifully written tribute to such a beautiful soul. Thinking of you all during this very difficult time. Dave beamed with pride when he spoke of you all. Working together and having a friendship that span 20 years , we shared plenty of laughter and even a few tears . Our families became each other’s families and these memories I will cherish, even after retirement I looked forward to our monthly get togethers and wouldn’t miss them for the world. Thank you for allowing us to to still spend time with you guys even though life was exhausting and challenging I’m sure most days in the past year . memories that I smile when I think about them and am so thankful we were able to create together.
A certain song will play and I will know it’s him smiling down at us…..
Sending hugs and hope to see you soon as we are able.
My sincere condolences to Debbie and family, Dave was such a kind upbeat guy., Gerry was so glad to have him as a friend and workmate for all those years. Althogh they did fight over my homemade cookies. Hugs Christine Campigotto
Debbie, Devon, Darcy, Alex and Greg please accept my sincere condolences…
Our sincere sympathy to you Alex and to your family. We were very sorry to hear of your loss.
Debbie, Devin and Darcy, My codolences on the passing of Dave. I will always remember the fun times curling against Dave and the post-game laughs we shared. Even when it was a challenge for him to speak, he would use his smart phone to share a joke. The Niagara Falls Curling Club will not be the same without Dave dressed in that fine hue of orange and big smile.
I met Dave when he started and coached the Saint Paul Curling Team. He showed himself to be a wonderful dad, as well as a an excellent coach.
Debbie, Devin, Darcy and the whole Rankin family. I am so sorry to hear about Dave’s passing. I remember playing baseball with Dave in our younger years and then going to Niagara college together. My thoughts and prayers are with all of you.
To The Rankin Family: I am sorry to hear of Dave’s passing. He was a nice man and he had a nice family. I will always remember his consistent uniform and approach for Slow Pitch games. Quiet but ready to go. Hammer’s fast Brother. My sincere condolences. Adam McArthur
To Debbie and Family
My thoughts and prayers are with you during this time and the days ahead of you as you continue to share stories and cherish the memories.
Debbie, Devin and Darcy
We are very saddened to hear of Dave’s passing. Just hard to believe. Our condolences to you all and our prayers and thoughts are with you during this difficult time. Dave was a very kind and great guy and a pleasure to be around. Always had good times when together. He was a great mentor in baseball and curling. He will be missed by all.
Take care of yourselves.
Our most heartfelt condolences to you and your family. Todd and I had the pleasure of spending the last several years working with Dave and a few years of curling with him as well. He was a funny, uplifting, witty man. He was always a pleasure to curl with and very encouraging. He will be greatly missed.
I’m so sorry to hear of Dave’s passing.Our sincere condolences to you and your family at this difficult time. Jim & Debbie Tavender
Debbie and kids
Please know that we are thinking of you at this sad time.
I cannot express how sad I am to learn of Dave’s passing and how I wish I could have come over the border to visit him over the last few months. I know he is now at peace and freed of a failing body, but I still can’t believe I’ll never see him on the ice in his orange accented curling attire again. He was a great curling mentor and I enjoyed the years I played in the same Doubles league as him and Darcy – great curling, great laughter, and great memories! Hugs & Prayers to Darcy, Devin and Debbie!
So sorry to hear this terrible news Debbie and family. Dave was such a wonderful man. You are in our thoughts and prayers. Bryon and Anne Marie Ciancio
Debbie, Devon and Darcy, our deepest condolences. I’m so sorry to hear about Dave, we haven’t seen you in a while but I have great memories of Dave, especially from our Niagara College days. You are all in our thoughts and prayers during this difficult time, love Stella and Barry
So sorry for your loss Greg, Al and family. Fretz Family sending our love and condolences
My 💘 love, condolences, and prayers 🙏 go out to you and your precious family, Debbie!
What a special MAN! You were certainly BLESSED and so was Dave!
What a BEAUTIFUL and MOVING Tribute
I ❤ care about you and miss our weekly group.
God bless you 🙏 ❤ and your precious family!
Debbie, Devin and Darcy,
Such a beautiful tribute to Dave, a wonderful, thoughtful and helpful neighbour and friend. Dave was one of the nicest guys on the planet. Our lives are richer for having known such a beautiful soul. My thoughts and prayers for peace and strength are with you and we may take comfort in knowing we will see him again one day. Love you guys!
Rose
Debbie, Devin and Darcy,
We haven’t seen Dave in a while, but have many memories of him at the curling rink. He was one of the most genuine people you would ever want to meet. He spent a lot of time nurturing his family without ever smothering them. He was a truly wonderful person who will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Our condolences.
My condolences to the family. I remember meeting Mr Rankin at Parent Teacher Interviews. A wonderful person who took pride in his family.
So sad to hear this news … Dave was a great guy and one hell of an athlete . Knew he was a good ball player as i played with him on the Supremes for years but had no idea how good of a bowler he was til he had me and the whole Cataract bowing ally watching him almost bowl a perfect game 299 . I’d like to wish Dave’s whole family and his/us friends my sincere condolences !
Debbie, Devon & Darcy
So sad to hear of Dave’s passing. Our sincere condolences to you and all 🙏.
Mike, Bruna, Chris & Angel Matthew
Debbie, Devon and Darcy,
I can’t put in words what the lose of Dave means to all. The nicest and most sincere man I have ever had the privilege to call a friend.
The remembrance of his smile and sense of humor will always bring a smile to me.
Debbie Devon and Darcie so sorry to hear about Davids passing thinking of you guys at this difficult time.
Julie Fasano
Debbie, Darcy & Devin, so sorry for your loss. While I didn’t know Dave very well, the obituary you wrote certainly illustrated what a great guy he was. I wish I could have known him better. I look forward to hearing about the memorial events you will be planning after covid-19 restrictions are over. Hope to attend at least one of them. In the meantime, we will be making a donation to the ALS Society in Dave’s memory. Take time to mourn, time to celebrate, time to heal.
Love, Lorna, Graham & Alison Aberdein
To Debbie, and kids.
We were so sad to hear of Daves passing. It truly is a huge loss. He will be missed by many. He was a true gentleman, and good sport. Please reach out to us if you need/want support in organizing events.
To the Rankin families: Growing up with the Rankins was one of my favorite memories. Jeff was my best friend and partner in crime. I named my first born son after him. Alec (Popcorn) and Gloria (Honey) were the best of the best. David, Jeff and Greg were like extra brothers. My dad grew up around the corner from Popcorn, they share a love of baseball. Mom and Gloria played cards and carted us kids to every ball game our dad’s played. Dave, oh Dave out of all the kids you were the quietest and that says a lot. But of course we were kids. I moved away in 1987 but always kept in touch and losing Jeff was so hard. Then Gloria. And now Dave. I don’t know how much one family can take? Terry, I love you and I am so sorry. Debbie, although I don’t know you well I feel like I do and your children because Popcorn talked about you all and I have been praying for a miracle for Dave since I found out. I don’t have comforting words and I wish I did. I will always have those memories and I carry them with me. Lot’s of pictures too. I am so very sorry. Very sorry to all of you. Shelley Jenkins Coletti, Dorchester Ontario Canada
Debbie I’m so very sorry to hear of your loss. My most sincere condolences to you and your family. Prayers and strength sent to you all now and the difficult days ahead.
Thinking of all of you at this time . A true gentlemen . God Bless.
Robert LaFreniere of Peterborough Ontario has made an E-Transfer donation to the Niagara ALS Society in memory of Dave Rankin
A lovely, very touching tribute Debbie. I am deeply saddened by the loss of your family’s beloved Dave.
“Remember me with smiles and laughter, for that is how I will remember you all. If you can only remember me with tears, then don’t remember me at all.” – Laura Ingalls Wilder
Till you all meet again, may you all be blessed with strength and courage to soldier on.