FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                                  April 2, 2004

NEW SCHOLARSHIP ESTABLISHED IN HONOR OF FAIRVIEW MAN

            The family of the Dean Ranson of Fairview has established the Dean Ranson Scholarship with the Northwestern Oklahoma State University Foundation, according to Jane McDermott, executive director.

            The award will be reserved for continuing students and first preference will be given to residents of Major County. Second preference will be given to applicants from Major’s adjacent counties: Alfalfa, Blaine, Dewey, Garfield, Kingfisher, Woods and Woodward. Applicants can major in any field of study and recipients may reapply in succeeding years.

Applications must be made to Northwestern and the various departments will give recommendations to the Scholarship Committee.

The scholarship was established by Ranson’s daughters and their families—Rita and Jeral Cain of Fort Worth, Texas, and Janis and Robert Johnson of Montclair, Va.

Ranson grew up on the family farm southwest of Fairview and graduated from Longdale High School in 1938. In 1942, he married Ethel Martin who preceded him in death in 1989. He graduated from Northwestern in 1943 with a degree in physics and mathematics and then served with the U.S. Army Signal Corps during World War II.

After being discharged, he taught at Zenda, Kan., High School for one year, then moved back to Fairview to begin a 55-year career with the Farmers and Merchants National Bank.

Ranson served the bank in various positions before being elected president in 1972. In 1985, he was elected chairman of the board and in 1988 became chief executive officer.

During his banking career, Ranson provided leadership to many civic and community organizations. He also serves on the board of directors of the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation.

In 1990, he married Mary Teske. They are active members of Fairview’s First United Methodist Church and were selected Family of the Year in 1994. In 2002, Ranson received the Fairview Chamber of Commerce Lifetime Achievement Award. He retired from the Farmers and Merchants National Bank in 2002.

-NW-

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