Paul Edward Ranney

Paul Edward Ranney was born on August 7, 1926 in San Antonio, Texas. He passed away on December 1, 2021 at the age of 95. He is survived by his daughter, Judy Ranney of San Antonio, his sister, Beryl Lamm, and three nieces and three nephews. He was a graduate of Brackenridge High School in San Antonio, and had begun college at Trinity University when he decided to enlist in the Air Force to serve in WW II. He returned home during his military training to marry his high school sweetheart, Lois. The occurrence of D-Day ended his military career. As a result, he never learned to fly, which was one of his lifelong dreams. He then returned to San Antonio and joined his father, Carl Ranney, in a small printing business. They only had a linotype and two letterpresses. Their entire scope of business included printing letterheads and business cards. Paul eventually bought the business from his dad and moved it to a larger location where he began utilizing the then-new technology of lithography. In 1965, along with two salesmen, he moved the entire business to Dallas, Texas. The company, known as Heritage Press, grew from a handful of employees to become recognized as one of the top producers of quality lithography not only in Texas but throughout the United States. Paul personally received numerous prestigious awards from the Printing Industry Association and was respected for his integrity, talent, and business ethics, and also for his mentorship to fellow craftsmen. Representing the Southwest regions of the country, Paul was a charter member of Graphic Innovators, a group of printers dedicated to bringing about rapid growth of new technology into the industry. Lifetime friendships came from this loyal group. He was awarded the Printing Industry of America Lifetime Achievement Award in 1996. With 45 years of experience in the graphic arts, Paul took Heritage Press from a relatively small two-color shop to one of the most successful and prominent firms in the nation. Heritage Press was sold in May 1985 after Paul's retirement to Graphic Industries, Inc., an Atlanta-based printing and communications corporation. Paul was an avid sportsman as a young man and was particularly fond of both salt and freshwater fishing. He dabbled in photography, and even made some "home brew". He accumulated a fine collection of antique clocks and refurbished all of them to working condition and was able to keep all of them ticking. He always had a soft spot for small dogs and was deeply touched by the beauty of nature, which was his god. Paul and Lois moved to Georgetown, Texas in June of 1991 to begin an "active retirement". Paul participated in several local civic groups and also found a new love?the Model A Ford. He spent many long hours restoring three different "A's" and enjoyed time spent with fellow "car-guys" kicking tires and making repairs. Paul assisted Fred Carlton in organizing a local group known as the Lone Star Model A Ford Club and enjoyed many activities and tours with these friends. These were Paul's happiest days. Paul's beloved wife passed away in May 2012. In 2014, he was blessed to meet Joy Morrison, with whom he shared his last years. Together they traveled and joined numerous social and civic groups. He remained active until his last days. A memorial service will be held at Ramsey Funeral Home, 5600 Williams Drive, Georgetown, Texas at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, December 8th. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Southern Animal Rescue Association (SARA), sarasanctuary.org, P.O. Box 813, Seguin, Texas 78156-0813, Blue Dog Rescue at bluedogrescue.com, or a charity of your choice.