Sam Henry Ranshaw

Sam Henry Ranshaw, Jr., age 87, passed away in Burbank on December 15, 2014. He was born on June 10, 1927 in Siluria, Alabama, the son of Sam Henry Ranshaw and Eva Kendrick. He had two half brothers, James Earl Lee and "Jake" Ranshaw, and later a step-brother Billy Wayne Owens. He also had a sister Bertha Mae who was killed by a tornado at age 3.

Sam attended school in Calera, Alabama. During the depression he dropped out of school in the 8th grade to work and help support the family. At age 17, with World War 11 raging, he joined the Navy in October 1944. Sam desperately wanted to be assigned to the U.S.S. Franklin, but assignments stopped alphabetically at the letter "M". Later, over 700 of the Franklin crew was killed in battle. Sam was instead stationed aboard the destroyer U.S.S. Bryant, which had been damaged in the battle of Okinawa and was being repaired at the Alameda Naval Station. The war ended before the Bryant saw battle again. It was while Sam was in San Francisco that he was set up on a blind date with nursing student Mary "Maxine" Kinsman from Los Angeles, and a dating relationship developed.

After the war ended in August 1945, Sam was transferred to Memphis, Tennessee for discharge. He returned home to Alabama and worked in the iron ore mines of T.C.I. in Birmingham.

In 1947 Sam reunited with Maxine in Los Angeles, and they were married. They moved back to Alabama for several years, where their first son was born. In 1949 they moved back to California, had 2 more children, and lived in Glendale, Sun Valley and then in 1959 moved to Burbank.
Sam worked in the aircraft industry assembling landing gears at Menasco Manufacturing Company in Burbank for 28 years. After leaving Menasco he worked for Datron Electronics in Simi Valley, California. Sam and Maxine were charter members of Bethany Presbyterian Church in Burbank. More recently they attended Sunland Community Church, where Sam was active on the technical team that produced religious shows. Later in life Sam was an active walker and finished many Los Angeles Marathons. Sam and Maxine enjoyed taking trips to explore their families' genealogy, including to Canada, England and Scotland. Hawaii was a favorite vacation destination.

Sam was preceded in death just several weeks ago by his beloved wife of 67 years, Maxine. He is survived by his step-brother Bill (Shirley) Owens of Birmingham, Alabama; sons Michael (Sharon) Ranshaw of Oxnard; James ((Patricia) Ranshaw of Burbank, and daughter Mary Kathleen (Jerry) Trammel of Chester, Virginia. He is also survived by 6 grandchildren – Michael, Courtney, Cheryl, James, Robert, Alison, and 7 great-grandchildren – Hayden, Carter, Dylan, Donovan, Nathan, Madeline, and Tyler.
Funeral services and internment are at Forest Lawn Glendale.