Rance T. McKenna

Loudonville, N.Y.— Rance McKenna, a devoted father, husband and grandfather who transitioned from a career in banking to become a business owner in Albany, died on Thursday at his home in Loudonville surrounded by his beloved family after a valiant battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 76.

Francis Torrance McKenna was born in Montreal, Canada on November 6, 1943. He spent his formative years in the Albany area prior to attending high school at Mount Assumption in Plattsburgh, N.Y. as a boarding student. 

A standout athlete in both baseball and hockey, Rance matriculated at the University of Denver (DU) and played both sports at the Division 1 level. He was a defenseman on a series of powerhouse DU hockey teams that routinely competed for national championships in the 1960s.

Rance met his wife Linda, to whom he was married for 44 years, when the two were colleagues at Bank of America in Los Angeles, California. They returned to Albany in 1984 and settled in Loudonville.

In addition to his wife, Rance is survived by his three children: Amy (Rusty) Harlow of Grenada, Miss; Jane McKenna of Saratoga Springs, N.Y., and Patrick (Alison) McKenna of Brooklyn, N.Y. In recent years, he took great joy in spending time with his six grandchildren: Elizabeth, Jake, Patrick, Luke, Kate and Abigail, all of whom will miss him deeply.

Following his retirement, Rance committed himself to charitable work serving as a board member and volunteer at Unity House of Troy, the Capital Region non-profit dedicated to supporting and empowering those in need.

A memorial will be held on a date to be determined following the easing of COVID-19 restrictions on gatherings.

In lieu of flowers, kindly consider a donation to Unity House to advance their important work at this time of great need. For additional information, please visit https://www.unityhouseny.org.

To leave a message of condolence for the McKenna family, please visit www.CannonFuneral.com

To send flowers to the family, please visit our floral store.