Jess Willard Rucker ^502,1030

  General Notes:

OBITUARY -- Jess Willard Rucker

Jess Willard Rucker went to be with his Lord Saturday, May 17, 2003, at the home of Ron Rucker in Malvern. He was born Dec. 10, 1916, in Rolla, Ark., to the late William C. Rucker and the late Annie Cheatham Rucker. He was a graduate of Lono High School and a former basketball player on the Lono High School basketball team. He was a veteran of the United States Army, having served in the Third Infantry Division during World War II in Sicily, Italy, France and Germany, where he received the Purple Heart. He was a retired meat cutter and worked in several retail grocery stores in the Malvern area. He was a Mason for 50 years, 32nd Degree Mason and a member of the Bethlehem #338 Free and Accepted Mason, Leola, Ark. He was a member and Deacon of Sharon Rose Missionary Baptist Church in Malvern. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather and loved sharing his life experiences with his children and grandchildren.

He is survived by his loving wife of 57 years, Juanita Tomlin Rucker of Malvern; two sons, Jesse Rucker and his wife Pam of Malvern and Ron Rucker and his wife Robin Rucker of Malvern; one daughter, Jane Rucker of Malvern; one brother, William Conway Rucker of Georgia; three sisters Opal Lasater of Fordyce, Irene Larsen of Hot Springs and Billie Catherine Lindsey of Sherman, Texas; his mother-in-law, Eva Meacham; seven grandchildren, Kevin Abbott, Sunny Patterson, John Patterson, Vanessa Rucker Cowling and her husband Dr. Dave Cowling, Justin Rucker and his wife April, Lisa Rucker Robbins and her husband Stephen and Michael Rucker and his wife Danielle; six great-grandchildren, Owen Cowling, Nathan Cowling, Sadie Rucker, Sierra Rucker, Cailin Robbins and Carly Robbins.
He was preceded in death by his parents; two brothers, Claude Rucker and J. D. Rucker; three sisters, Lois Fite, Maxine Killough and Geraldine Hill.

Memorials may be made to the New Hope #1 Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery Fund, Rolla, Ark. The family of Willard Rucker would like to give a "special thanks" to the Hot Spring County Home Care and his Hospice nurses.

Funeral services are scheduled for 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 20, 2003, in New Hope #1 Cemetery, Rolla, Ark., with Pastor Don Clark officiating. Visitation was 6-8 p.m. Monday. Interment will be in New Hope #1 Cemetery, Rolla, Ark.

Pallbearers are Pete Lasater, Jerry Dean Lasater, Justin Rucker, Michael Rucker, John Patterson, Stephen Robbins and Dr. Dave Cowling. Honorary pallbearers are Bethlehem #338 Free and Accepted Masons, Leola, Arkansas.

Atkinson Funeral Home of Malvern will direct.

Malvern Daily Record
May 20, 2003
Malvern, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA ¹⁰³¹

  Life Events:

1. Military: WWII: SGT. CO. I 30 INF 3 DIV USA. ^1031,1034 Served in Sicily, Italy, France and Germany. He received the Purple Heart.

2. High School-Graduated: Lono High School: Lono, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA. ¹⁰³¹

3. Occupation: Meat Cutter: Malvern, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA. ¹⁰³¹

4. Organization: Freemason: Leola, Grant, Arkansas, USA. ¹⁰³¹ Bethlehem #338 Free and Accepted Mason
32nd Degree

5. Church Affiliation: Sharon Rose Missionary Baptist Church: Malvern, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA. ¹⁰³¹ Served as a deacon.

Jess married Juanita Tomlin about 1946. (Juanita Tomlin was born on 5 Apr 1926 in Gadsden, Etowah, Alabama, USA,^502,1030 died on 23 Mar 2007 in Hot Springs, Garland, Arkansas, USA ¹⁰³⁵ and was buried in New Hope Haven of Rest Cemetery (Rolla, Hot Spring, Arkansas, USA) ¹⁰³³.)