Ohio
Helen Rankin, the first Black woman in the Ohio House, dies at 89
L. Helen Rankin, the first Black woman to serve in the Ohio House of Representatives, died March 22 at age 89.
Rankin, a Democrat, served 16 years in the Ohio House, representing districts in Cincinnati from 1978 to 1994.
She was appointed to succeed her late husband, James W. Rankin, who died of pneumonia in June 1978 while in office. She completed his term, then won the seat outright in the general election later that year.
She was elected to seven terms representing the 25th Ohio House District, which included Evanston, Walnut Hills, Mount Adams and Hyde Park, then after re-districting, a term for the 30th District, covering Avondale, Bond Hill, Pleasant Ridge and Kennedy Heights.
Who was Helen Rankin
Rankin, born in Georgia on Sept. 12, 1936, moved to Cincinnati to study business administration at the University of Cincinnati. Before taking office, she worked as an intake supervisor at the Cincinnati Community Action Commission.
She was a 41-year-old mother of three when she took over her husband’s House seat. She proceeded to earn her own legacy her own way, quietly behind the scenes.
She fought to preserve Medicaid reimbursement for health clinics and worked to reform Ohio’s Title XX program to provide services for low-income, elderly and disabled persons.
Her signature achievement was introducing a bill that made insurance companies cover the costs of mammograms. She introduced the bill four times before it finally passed and was signed into law by Gov. George Voinovich in 1992.
“It was landmark legislation. She was very persistent and overcame a lot of obstacles on that,” the late Rep. William Mallory told the Cincinnati Post when Rankin retired in 1994.
“Representative Rankin didn’t just break barriers, she built pathways,” said Rep. Terrence Upchurch, D-Cleveland, president of the Ohio Legislative Black Caucus, in a statement on Instagram. “Her legacy is reflected not only in the policies she passed, but in the lives she touched, the communities she strengthened, and the doors she opened for generations to come.”
Helen Rankin services April 10
After she retired, Rankin was co-chair of Shalom Habitat for Humanity Project, helping to build homes in Walnut Hills, and active with her church, New Vision United Methodist Church.
She was preceded in death by her first husband, James W. Rankin; her second husband, William B. Merritt; and her brothers, Thermon Key and Andrew Key. She is survived by her children, Sharon Moon, James W. Rankin Jr. and Connie Ross; seven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A visitation will be held April 10 at 10 a.m., followed by a funeral service at noon, at New Vision United Methodist Church, 4400 Reading Road, Paddock Hills. She will be interred at Walnut Hills Cemetery.
2026 U20 World Team Trials
At Geneva, Ohio, May 29
Best-of-Three Final Results
57 kg
Isaiah Cortez (Spartan Combat RTC/ TMWC) defeats Grey Burnett (Burnett Trained Wrestling), two matches to none
Round 1 – Cortez dec. Burnett, 5-1
Round 2 – Cortez tech. fall Burnett, 10-0
61 kg
Aaron Seidel (SERTC- TMWC) defeats Elijah Cortez (Spartan Combat RTC/ TMWC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Seidel tech. fall Cortez, 10-0
Round 2 – Seidel tech. fall Cortez, 10-0
65 kg
Bo Bassett (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)) defeats Clinton Shepherd (Howe Wrestling School, LLC), two matches to none
Round 1 – Bassett fall Shepherd, 2:40
Round 2 – Bassett tech. fall Shepherd, 10-0
70 kg
Landon Robideau (Cowboy RTC) defeats Melvin Miller (Titan Mercury Wrestling Club (TMWC)), two matches to none
Round 1 – Robideau dec. Miller, 5-0
Round 2 – Robideau tech. fall, 12-0
74 kg
Jayden James (KD Training Center/ TMWC) defeats Ladarion Lockett (Cowboy RTC), two matches to none
Round 1 – James dec. Lockett, 5-4
Round 2 – James dec. Lockett, 4-2
79 kg
Ryan Burton (SERTC- TMWC) defeats Joseph Jeter (Position Wrestling), two matches to none
Round 1 – Burton dec. Jeter, 10-7
Round 2 – Burton dec. Jeter, 8-1
86 kg
Aeoden Sinclair (Tiger Style Wrestling Club) defeats Brock Mantanona (Cliff Keen Wrestling Club), two matches to none
Round 1 – Sinclair dec. Mantanona, 6-0
Round 2 – Sinclair tech. fall Mantanona, 10-0
92 kg
Jimmy Mastny (Relentless Training Center) defeats Karson Tompkins (Air Force Regional Training Center), two matches to none
Round 1 – Mastny fall Tompkins, 3:31
Round 2 – Mastny tech. fall Tompkins, 10-0
97 kg
Michael Boyle (Ohio Crazy Goats Wrestling Club) defeats Garett Kawczynski (Askren Wrestling Academy), two matches to none
Round 1 – Boyle tech. fall Kawczynski, 10-0
Round 2 – Boyle tech. fall Kawczynski, 10-0
125 kg
Dreshaun Ross (Cowboy RTC) defeats Coby Merrill (NYAC), two matches to one
Round 1 – Merrill tech. fall Ross, 11-0
Round 2 – Ross dec. Merrill 9-2
Round 3 – Ross dec. Merrill, 7-1
COLUMBUS, Ohio (WSYX) — A Central Ohio family has filed a lawsuit against a Hilliard funeral home after their mother was accidentally cremated, despite plans for her to be buried.
According to court documents, Tidd Funeral Home cremated Nancy Anders in June of last year against the family’s wishes. The lawsuit states Anders died a week earlier in May.
The family says Anders had planned and prepaid for funeral arrangements two years before her death to be buried with her late husband. The arrangements did not include cremation because, the family says, she did not believe in the concept.
The lawsuit says the family was told a week after her death that she had been accidentally cremated. It also accuses Tidd Funeral Home of cremating her even though the proper authorization form was never signed.
The family says they have suffered physical illness and emotional trauma and are seeking $25,000 in damages. They are also asking for the case to be decided by a jury.
ABC 6 reached out to the funeral home for comment but had not heard back.
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