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Rannells King

Rannells King, 82, passed away on Jan. 22 at the Wilton Meadows Rehabilitation Center in Wilton.

Rannells was born and raised in Manhattan, Kansas. After serving in the US Army during the Korean War, he graduated from Kansas State University. Rannells later married his beloved wife Joye in 1956. Various career moves took him and Joye to several places before they moved to Westbrook in 1964, where they planted roots. Rannells loved Westbrook and became deeply involved in the community and volunteer work. He served on the Westbrook Board of Education, the Board of Finance, and the Zoning Commission. He was a longtime Rotarian and a Paul Harris Fellow. He was active in the Congregational Church of Westbrook, and served as a deacon for many years. He was involved for many years on the Westbrook Town Republican Committee, and was awarded their Holbrook Award in 2005.

Rannells career was focused on marketing and sales. After beginning his career with Texaco, he ended up specializing in computer system sales with various companies and eventually sold commercial real estate. Rannells was a consummate “people person” who was always telling jokes, and he always had one at the ready. Humor was at the core of his humanity and of his personality. In his last years, Rannells was a hero to those who were closest to him in his role as a caregiver to his wife Joye, who suffers from Alzheimer’s. He refused to be split apart from her when the retirement experts insisted, and when his own sanity was tested. Rannells and Joye celebrated their 58th wedding anniversary in August.

Rannells is survived by his wife Joye, his sister Karolyn of St. Augustine, Florida, his son Jeff and wife Linda of North Andover, Massachusetts, his son Greg of Wailuku, Hawaii, and numerous nieces and nephews and other relatives spread out across the country.

We will be gathering to celebrate the life of Rannells on Feb. 28 at 1:00 p.m. The service will be held at Westbrook Congregational Church, 1166 Boston Post Rd., Westbrook. A reception will follow in the church fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, we are requesting that donations be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2075 Silas Deane Highway, Ste. 100, Rocky Hill, CT 06067. To share a memory of Rannells or send a condolence to his family, please visit www.rwwfh.com. Arrangements are in the care of Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, Centerbrook.