Mr. Ancel H. Hankins' Obituary
Ancel H. Hankins also known as “Hank” or “Pete” Hankins passed away at Methodist Hospice Residence on August 7th, 2018 at the age of 77.Ancel is preceded in death by his wife Barbara A Hankins, his sister Marie Wickline, and his father Ancel Hall Hankins.Ancel is survived by his daughter Melissa Karpicke (Doug), grandsons Tristan Karpicke and Sam Karpicke, his love Helen Jones, brothers Larry Hankins (Linda) and Terry Hankins, sister Becky Busby (Leslie), as well as numerous nieces and nephews. The Last 50 Years by Pete Hankins I have seen and experienced many wondrous things in the last 50 years.I rode horses in the Philippine Islands.I rode a cable car to the top of the Zugspitze, highest peak in Germany.I rode the bullet train past Mount Fiji at more than 200 KMPH. I swam in the South China Sea.I snorkeled in the Bay of Naples.I body surfed in the waves of Oahu.I water skied in the Mississippi River. I walked the rutted streets of Pompeii.I explored the cold dank halls of medieval castles in Germany.I danced at the end of Via Appia Antigua (the Ancient Appian Way).I wandered the empty streets of New York City on a Sunday morning. I dined overlooking a moonlit Tokyo Bay from 30 floors up.I sipped cappuccino at sunny side walk cafes in Tuscany.I enjoyed schnitzel while watching skiers on a snowy German mountainside.I had the best barbecue in Memphis. The most wonderful thing I ever experienced was the love of a San Antonio girl with flashing brown eyes. I took her out of Texas and showed her the world. She took me into her heart and showed me love. She left this world way too soon but gave me 27 years of great memories and a beautiful daughter with flashing brown eyes who looks just like her. My daughter gave me two beautiful grandsons who help keep me young. I enjoy spending time with family, friends, and my Akitas. Ancel served in the Air Force and was an expert in telecommunications. His last station was Washington DC working for the pentagon. They did not like DC and he did not want to stay at the Pentagon. Jimmy Burk worked with Ancel (also called Pete by his family) around 1976 and with Terry Cox at DCC in Memphis. DCC provided data processing for over 500 radio and television stations in the USA.Around 1977 Ancel was asked to consult on modernizing FedEx’s growing telecommunications networks. The network control consisted of low speed modems which were under the computer floor. These modems connected field stations and customer service with the Burroughs & later IBM systems, mostly doing message switch. Ancel modernized Network Control & set up modem patch panels, digital switches and data monitors so that the 2-person telecom department could quickly analyze problems, versus just calling ATT that there was a problem. One of the people working there was Vernitta Rogers.Shortly after, Ancel was hired as a manger over data engineering alongside Managers Jim Moore (Radio Engineering), Gary Ragsdale (Voice & Customer Service Engr) and Susan Wright (Telecom Admin). All of these reported to Sr. Mgr. John Schwarzmann. His group consisted of Terry Cox, Dick Winter, Greg Woylcheck; and Jimmy later joined that group in 1980.Ancel utilized modelling tools and network engineering apps (many of which Jimmy had written at DCC); and proceeded over the years to provide higher speed, intelligent modems with dial backup as the network quickly expanded. In the early 80’s Ancel left FedEx and became a Director of Cylix which was eventually sold to a French telecommunications company. Ancel returned to FedEx as a contractor and eventually returned to the Telecommunications Dept. under Winn Stephenson, until he retired.Ancel was a major player in updating and modernizing FedEx’s networks. Donations can be made to the following: Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary – look on Facebook Working dogs for vets – look on Facebook Arrangements have been entrusted to Memorial Park Funeral Home and Cemetery, 5668 Poplar Ave., Memphis, TN 38119 (901) 767-8930. “Celebrating Life… Behind the Stone Wall”.
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