FAYETTEVILLE — Wilbur “Maurice” Rankin

was born on July 9, 1939, at the Fayetteville City Hospital and grew up in the area that is now included in Tontitown.

He graduated from Springdale High School in 1957, and from John Brown University in 1962 with a BS degree in engineering.

Upon graduation from JBU, Maurice married “the girl next door” due to some match making by their mothers. Mary Ellen Case and he were married on June 23, 1962. Together they had one son, Raymond Maurice Rankin (Susan A Bowen) and one daughter, Nancy Ellen Boyd (Arthur H Boyd) and four grandchildren, Leslie Anne Rankin, Virginia Margaret Rankin, Elisabeth Ellen Boyd, and Logan von der Hagen Boyd.

Maurice worked for the Governmental Accounting Office (GAO) as a communication technology engineer where he retired with over 30 years of service in July 2004. Maurice and Mary then returned to northwest Arkansas, where together they built their dream house.

Maurice was very active in the Boy Scouts for over 40 years. Maurice and Mary were members of Central United Methodist Church and the Asbury Sunday School class for almost 20 years. Maurice volunteered at Cooperative Emergency Outreach (CEO) providing services to families in need until early 2020.

Maurice quietly passed away at Butterfield Trail Village Health Care Unit on March 18, 2023, from a variety of illnesses at the age of 83. A viewing will be held at Sisco Funeral Home on Saturday, March 25 from 2-4. Services will be held on Monday, March 27 at 1 p.m. at Central United Methodist Church (CUMC) with interment at Bluff Cemetery next to his wife.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to either: CUMC 6 Dickson Street, Fayetteville, Ark. 72701 or CEO 1649 E Huntsville Road, Fayetteville, Ark. 72701. Online condolences may be left at www.siscofuneral.com