Phyllis M. Rankin

Phyllis May Rankin, age 80, of Grants Pass, Oregon, passed away peacefully on February 1, 2026, surrounded by her family. She was born on August 18, 1945, in Madera, California, to Michael and Alma Erwin. She was born a twin with Phil Erwin who became her best friend. She later met the love of her life, and married Dave Rankin on June 8, 1963.

Phyllis was the kind of woman who always put God and family first. She lived her life guided by faith, integrity, devotion to family, and service to others, and she shared those values freely with everyone around her.

She was deeply devoted to being a wife, mother, grandmother, great grandmother, sister, and friend. Her greatest joy came from having the ones she loved around her as often as she could. Phyllis enjoyed not only creating a beautiful home for her family and guests, but she also turned it into a career that she loved.

Phyllis and her husband Dave owned a full-service gas station, Rankin’s Gulf, where she worked in every aspect of the business from managing the financial side to pumping gas. When Gulf Corporation left California, Phyllis went to work at Sonoma Valley Hospital as a housekeeper and worked her way up into management. She held the Executive Director position in the housekeeping department at Silverado Country Club and then back into a hospital environment at St Mary’s Hospital in San Francisco and Doctor’s Hospital of Pinole, California. She also loved the career her husband had chosen after leaving the service station and followed him by attending a law enforcement academy at Santa Rosa Junior College and becoming a Reserve Deputy for Sonoma County Sherrif’s Department. After moving to Grants Pass, Phyllis ran her own cleaning service, assisting private individuals with their homes and then worked with her family in the mortgage business. Once she retired, she could not sit still and went back to volunteering. Three Rivers Medical Center Auxiliary was happy to have her working with them.

Phyllis also enjoyed gardening, crafting, shopping, and attending sporting events that her children, grandchildren and even great grandchildren were involved in. She loved to travel and explore. She was happy on the beach or in the mountains creating memories with her family and friends. She spent her last few days reminiscing with friends about the great times they had enjoyed. She was comfortable on the back of the motorcycle on a road trip with Dave, in a motor home with her siblings, a 1st Friday wine stroll with girlfriends or a patrol car in pursuit of a safer place for her children to grow up.

Phyllis is survived by her children; Mike (wife Dana), Kelly, and Chantelle, grandchildren; Brandon (wife Elaina), David, Zac (wife Karyn), Nathan (wife Marissa), Stephanie (husband Josh), Cody (wife Kasey) and great grandchildren; Ada, Evey, Isla, Wyatt, Edison, Perry, Karson, Joshua, Corey, Owen and Harper. She is also survived by her brothers Phil Erwin and Mike Erwin. She was preceded in death by her husband Dave Rankin, parents Michael and Alma Erwin, sister Connie Alexander and brother Gary Erwin.

Those who loved her will remember her most for her kindness.

A viewing will be held at Hull and Hull Funeral Directors, in Grants Pass, on Thursday, February 19th between 5pm and 7pm, followed by a Service at 11am on Friday, February 20th, 2026. Live Stream services will be available.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that acts of kindness be done in her memory.

Though our hearts are heavy, we are deeply grateful for the years we had, the love she gave, and the lessons she taught us. She will be forever missed, always loved, and never forgotten.

Please share a memory of Phyllis in her Guestbook.