Marlene Patricia Kemp Rankin

GREENSBORO, Ga. — Marlene Patricia Kemp Rankin passed away on Monday, May 4, 2020, in Greensboro, Georgia.

Marlene was the daughter of the late Moses Kemp and the late Claudia Sanders Kemp and was the granddaughter of the late Rev. & Mrs. Timothy E. Sanders of Round O, SC. She was born on August 5, 1947, in Round O, SC. She spent her early childhood in Round O and attended Colleton Elementary School in Walterboro, SC. There she was a happy child who was surrounded by lots of family.

She moved to Ninety Six, SC, to live with her Aunt Anna Lou and Uncle Robert Lewis who became surrogate parents to her. There she attended Mt. Carmel Church with them and graduated from Edgewood High School in 1966. She was fortunate to be in the midst of plenty of family and friends in Ninety Six, SC. After her graduation, Marlene resided with her cousin, Josephine Lewis Daniel, for a while in Williamston where she was employed at a local mill. In an effort to improve her quality of life, she moved to Washington, DC, where she met her husband.

At the age of 31, she married Eugene Rankin in Arlington, VA. They resided in the DC area for several years before they relocated in Greenwood, SC, for a couple of years. They later moved to Greensboro, GA, the hometown of his mother. Marlene and Eugene added to their family with the birth of their son, David Rankin.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Moses and Claudia Kemp and her surrogate parents, Robert and Anna Lou Lewis.

Marlene is survived by her son, David Rankin, Greensboro, GA; granddaughters, Vanessa and Egypt; aunt, Beatrice (H.B.) Peoples, Florence, SC; cousins and friends.

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