Mr. Kenneth R. Rankin Sr. of West Orange, NJ passed away suddenly at the age of 50 on Saturday, June 3, 2023. There will be a funeral service celebrated at the Biondi Funeral Home of Nutley on Monday, June 12 at 11:00 a.m. Visitation will be from 10:00 a.m. to time of service. The interment will be at Rosedale Cemetery, 408 Orange Road, Orange, NJ.
Kenneth was born in Orange, NJ to Robert and Carol (née Bomar) Rankin on April 29th, 1973. As a young child he was given the nickname of Kenny that continued through his life. Kenny was a graduate of St. Benedict’s Prep Class of ‘92 and during his education he was also a basketball standout. After having a gap-year he made the noble decision to follow in his father’s footsteps by joining the Newark Police Department. Leading to a long and eventful career with a legacy continued by his two sons. Kenny retired from the Newark Police Department in 2018 with the hopes of spending more time with his family and traveling the world.
Not only did Kenny excel at basketball, but he had a love for the sport of golf and was a diehard Dallas Cowboys fan. From a young age Kenny was a self-proclaimed aviation geek and enjoyed building model airplanes. He could also tell which type of aircraft was flying overhead by simply listening to the passing engines. Kenny was a dog person and had a passion for raising and training his multiple dogs throughout his life. He also had an illustrious social and travel life leading to an abundance of friends from all walks of life. Kenny loved traveling to different places. We are sure he will not rest in peace but continue his travels even more so now.
He is survived by his four loving children, Prince Rankin, Tiana Rankin, Kenneth Rankin Jr. and Maya Rankin, his two cherished grand-daughters, both of his devoted parents, his two dear brothers Richard and Thomas Zellars and a host of aunts, uncles, cousins, nieces, nephews and his dog.