Betty Mildred Rank Kessler (née Reed) passed peacefully surrounded by family on July 29, 2024, in Lebanon, PA, one day short of her 96th birthday.
She was born on July 30, 1928, to the late Claude and Anna Reed in Reading, PA.
Betty was kind, loving, and a generous person, almost to a fault. She would do anything for anyone, and there wasn’t anyone she met who didn’t fall in love with her. She was a true Pennsylvania Dutch cook and always prepared traditional family meals with plenty of bacon grease. Her sand tart cookies were legendary. Betty was a member of Salem Lutheran Church. She participated in several clubs, including the Order of the Eastern Star, Amaranth, and Lioness Club of Northern Lebanon Township. She was a seamstress and worked in many sewing factories in Lebanon County.
Betty is survived by her children, Samuel Rank, Claude (Lori) Rank, and Deloris Shepps. She was a loving nanny to her grandchildren, Sami Rank, Thomas Rank, Katy Rank Lev, Mollie Ciccone, Holly Shepps Corson, and Betsy Rank Kralovich, and her 11 great-grandchildren.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Thomas Rank and Leonard Kessler; siblings, William Reed, Kathryn Klingler, and Doris Whitman; and in-laws, Floyd Shepps and Nancy Rank.
She also was loved by nieces, nephews, in-laws, outlaws, and friends.
Viewing will be on Monday, Aug. 5, 2024, from 9:30-11 a.m., and funeral services will be at 11 a.m. at Christman’s Funeral Home, Inc., 226 Cumberland St., Lebanon. Burial will be at Mount Lebanon Cemetery, Lebanon, following the service.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.
