Shirley Antoinette Reed Rucker, 91, passed away at Quality Health of Fernandina Friday, October 27, 2017.



Born in Frederick, Maryland, Mrs. Rucker was a daughter of the late Earl Kirby and Fern Kaetzel Reed. She moved to Fernandina Beach in 1949 with her husband, the late Claude Lee Rucker, Jr. While he made his career at Container Corporation, she was the homemaker caring for their 7 children.



Born during the Great Depression, Mrs. Rucker grew up with values and lessons learned during this extraordinary time. As part of the Greatest Generation, her life was changed and deeply influenced by the events of World War II. Throughout the rest of her life, she came to appreciate and cherish any group or organization which helped veterans or active duty service members.



A longtime member of Memorial United Methodist Church, she was active there with her family until her declining health prevented her attendance. In addition to her various activities at the Methodist church, she cared deeply for orphaned children and made regular gifts to Methodist Children�s Home and programs that benefited Native American children.



After her family was grown, Mrs. Rucker continued caring for and guiding young children working as a Guardian Ad Litem for the State of Florida.



In addition to her parents and her husband she was predeceased by a daughter, Sharon R. Hudson.



She leaves behind six children, Reed and his wife Patricia Rucker of Fernandina Beach; Melanie Rucker of Tallahassee; Claude Lee Rucker, III and his wife, Jeanne, of Atlanta, GA; Dawn S. Rucker and her husband, Paul Mango of Pittsburgh, PA; Lorena Rucker and her husband, Robert Dancho, of Fernandina Beach; Suellen Rucker Smith and her husband, Chromer, of Yulee; a sister, Sandra Shirey, of Hagerstown, MD; sixteen grandchildren and nine great grandchildren.



Funeral services for Mrs. Rucker will be held Monday, October 30, 2017 at 3:00 PM in the Burgess Chapel of Oxley Heard Funeral Directors. The family will receive friends for the hour prior to the service.



She will be laid to rest beside her husband at Bosque Bello Cemetery.



The family requests memorial gifts be made to: the USO, P. O. Box 96860, Washington, DC 20077-7677 or TAPS (Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors) 3033 Wilson Blvd., Suite 630, Arlington, VA 22201.