Florence Rankin remembered

Latasha Everson/The Tifton Gazette CNHI

TIFTON — On Sunday, Oct. 21, the Tifton community lost a dear friend, a great leader and a very talented writer.

Since joining The Tifton Gazette in 1975, Florence Rankin, 55, who was better known to most as “Flo,” began to make her mark, not only as a journalist, but in people’s lives as well.

Throughout her career, she worked at the Valdosta Daily Times, the Milledgeville Union Recorder and several printing companies before returning to The Gazette in 1993 as a lifestyles reporter. She had served as managing editor since 2004 and was promoted to editor in 2012. Under her leadership, The Gazette won numerous awards from the Georgia Press Association for news coverage, newspaper design and editorial writing.

From insightful, historical stories for the TiftonScene magazine to well-written news articles for The Gazette, Flo was committed to her work and to informing the community. She was very well known for her talents and friendly personality. The news of her death shocked the community.

According to Chris Beckham, who was the past managing editor for The Gazette from 1999-2004, “Flo was strong, steady and consistently excellent in her work. I was proud that we became friends. She always bragged on her family and she never complained about anything. I think that’s why this is all so shocking. You never had to worry about Flo. She was always there, always getting the job done, always doing it the right way. I think people underestimated her because she was quiet. But, she was extremely smart and a very talented writer. I’m glad we became friends and I will miss her spirit.”

Bill Wells, Tifton historian, remembers how helpful Flo was with his articles for The Gazette and the magazine.

He stated, “We will all miss Flo. She was so kind and patient about helping citizens in the community. She did a great job in her quiet way and will indeed be missed. God bless her family. She loved them very much.”

Flo’s bravery as a journalist and her desire to unveil the truth by digging deeper into a story was contagious. She was passionate — she was truly a one of a kind journalist.

Hayward Fowler of the local Fun Channel worked closely with Flo, as well as Christine Tibbetts, The Tifton Gazette travel writer.

Fowler described Flo as a dear friend and confidant who loved Tifton and reported the truth.

“She was solid,” he said. “She had depth and width to her. She will be sadly missed. She was the right person at the right time to be at that paper.”

He also stated that Flo was very well balanced in reporting; she never was vindictive or had the intentions to go after someone.

“The main thing that comes to me is that she loved Tifton and the people in Tifton,” Fowler stated.

Tibbetts, who has known Flo for many years, said, “In 40 plus years as a journalist, I’ve worked with many editors but none who could professionally blend the rigors of reporting with the love of community as well as Flo Rankin.”

She added, “Newspaper managing editors traditionally have been cigar smoking boisterous men, so for me as a reporter to work with Flo Rankin, the editor, was a distinct pleasure.”

Tibbetts said under Flo’s leadership at The Gazette, together they were able to launch travel journalism, which led to Tibbetts providing weekly travel destination stories to the company to run in the local paper. With this feature, Gazette readers were able to go around the world with Tibbetts on her travels.

Stepping back as a reporter, personally, I’ve only known and worked with Flo for a little over two years, but within that time frame, I learned so much. My only regret is not having known her longer.

As a young lady fresh out of college with no experience in reporting or working for a newspaper, I was intimidated walking into The Gazette office two years ago. However, this quiet and soft-spoken woman with such a welcoming and friendly smile who was introduced to me as “Flo” Rankin, the managing editor, calmed my nerves some.

After I received a call from Flo the very next day and was hired for the position, from there on, I quickly learned how to be a reporter and how to put my writing skills to great use. Flo was an everyday encouragement who pushed me to be a better reporter, but more importantly, she taught me how to enjoy what I was doing — helping others to get their story out there or by shining light on a significant or controversial issue.

Her intelligence was remarkable and her will to help others without hesitation was humbling, and that smile of hers was always so calming; whenever things would get too busy or hectic at the office, she remained level-headed. She never complained.

Sharon Crawford Fitzgerald of Ruckersville, Va., a past reporter for The Gazette from 1995-1999, who also had the honor of working under Flo stated: “In my early days at The Gazette, Flo taught me the importance of getting the small details right. When I took over some duties in the Lifestyles section, I learned very quickly that wedding announcements and first birthday notices were just as important to readers as front page stories and funeral listings. As a young journalist, I couldn’t have asked for a better teacher as Flo taught me how to do the work that would take me far beyond the city limits of Tifton. More importantly, she set an example of how to never let work get before your love of family, friends and community. Flo will be missed by all of those who had the privilege of knowing her and I count myself lucky to be in this large circle of love.”

As I sit here typing at my desk, only a few feet away from Flo’s open office door, it’s hard to imagine that the person who I learned so much from, grew very close to over the years and had the privilege of knowing will never grace me with her presence again. However, what comforts me and what should comfort those who knew her so well is that she made a difference in our lives, as well as others’ lives by being more than a devoted journalist — she was an overall devoted person to her family, friends, co-workers, church and community. She was an inspiration. She became more than my boss, she became my friend.

“She loved this community and served her community so effectively and so lovingly and in her last days, so bravely,” says Eunice Mixon, community activist.

Flo indeed loved the Tifton community and we loved her back.

She will be truly missed but never forgotten.

Memorial services for Flo will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at St. Anne’s Episcopal Church with Father David Rose officiating. The family will receive friends from 1 p.m. until the time of services Saturday at St. Anne’s parish hall.

To contact reporter Latasha Everson, call 382-4321.

Homepage

Search Results

Related Photos

Florence Rankin remembered

Site Map

Contact Us