Dorothy Jane Rankin

Dorothy Jane ‘Dot’ Rankin, age 96, passed away January 31, 2025 at the Welling Point Assistant Living facility. She was born in Shelby County Tennessee on December 15, 1928, one of 5 children of Henry Reynolds and Jane Margaret McKinney.

She was a dedicated member of Fountain City Congregation of Jehovah’s Witnesses since July 22, 1955. She enjoyed sharing positive Bible messages with any to whom she spoke. 

Dot always had a smile for everyone she encountered. She was a generous, hard worker and often added a lively, “Oh, honey” in her spirited conversations.

She and her husband, Gene, were married in Knoxville on August 1, 1948. They both worked at the legendary Regas Restaurant for several years before opening their own Rankin’s Restaurant on Central Street in Knoxville in the 1950’s. They were famous for their always-hot homemade biscuits and gravy, delicious country food! Their restaurant was filled day after day with families, groups of friends, sports enthusiasts, politicians and occasionally a famous actor or singer. It became legendary as longest continuously operating restaurants in Knoxville. 

She retired and sold the restaurant in 1995, but unexpected events required her to take ownership again in 2003. An article in the Knoxville News Sentinel ‘Neighbors’ section dated May 21, 2003, documented her return with a front page picture of Dot serving up meals in the kitchen. 

Not long after the re-opening, she sold the restaurant again to a couple who were eager to carry on the “Rankin Way”. They ran the restaurant for several years still under the Rankin Restaurant name. They are now retired but the building still stands and has another restaurant operating there. 

She was preceded in death by her husband on March 19, 1987, parents, brothers and sisters. She is survived by her sister, Ann Pepin of Memphis, nieces and nephews Tommy Pepin, Jr., Mary Ann Pepin, Catherine Pepin and Patti Ann Kalioff, sister-in-law Romaine McKinney and long-time special friends, Joyce Reed and Nina Bayless. As well as many, many friends, loving caregivers from her congregation who comforted her during her recent difficult years.

A memorial service will be Saturday February 8 at 1:30 PM at the Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, 3958 E Emory Road, Knoxville. A zoom connection is available: ZOOM.com. Join a Meeting ID 519 019 044 with Password 186705. A listen-only connection is 865-329-6864 with PIN 865917