YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (MyValleyTributes) – Mr. Lee Thompson Rucker, Sr., 98, of Mount Juliet, Tennessee, formerly of Youngstown, Ohio, peacefully entered eternal rest on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at TriStar Summit Medical Center in Nashville.
Mr. Rucker, affectionately known as “Tommy,” was born on November 28, 1927, in Elberton, Georgia, the son of Robert and Alice Thompson Rucker. Li is one of ten children.
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At the age of 13, he moved from Georgia to Youngstown, Ohio, where he began working hard at an early age and his deep love for his family guided him every step of the way. This sense of duty, strength and quiet perseverance shaped the man he became and remained evident throughout his long life.
While living in Youngstown, Lee met the love of his life, Marion Gidney, and together they built a wonderful marriage rooted in faith, devotion, and generosity. Their union lasted until Marion’s death and continued through the generations they raised.
Lee was a dedicated worker and well respected in the community. Lee retired from the City of Youngstown Sanitation Department after more than 25 years of service, first as a truck driver and later as a supervisor. He also worked at Youngstown Country Club for more than 20 years, where he was known for his warmth, kindness and steady professionalism.
Lee’s faith was the guiding force throughout his life. He was a devoted member of Pilgrim Baptist Church in Struthers, worshiping faithfully under the leadership of his son, the late Pastor Lee T. Rucker, Jr. Prior to joining Pilgrim Baptist Church, he served for many years at Centennial United Methodist Church in Youngstown, where he was an enthusiastic usher, greeting others with kindness. He is also a proud member of Covenant Lodge 59 Masonic Lodge and has devoted many years to the fraternity and the values it represents.
Lee was a talented and kind-hearted man who loved gardening, cooking, known for his famous pound carrot cake (a staple at parties and a sweet symbol of his care for others), and the neighborhood handyman. A true sports enthusiast, he spent many Sunday afternoons watching games and in his final days enjoyed playing pool, colouring, drawing and sewing.
Lee will be remembered as a family hero who met life’s challenges with grace, loved without hesitation, and remained sharp, witty and full of spirit well into his later years. His legacy is etched in the lives of his children, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and many others who were blessed by his presence.
He leaves Lebanon, Tenn., to cherish his memory, his daughter, Sharon (Winfred) Byrne; his brother, Ulysses Rucker of Youngstown; grandchildren: Jamie (Jenna) Rucker, Harold (Joy) Rucker, Jr., Deanna (William) Dobbins, Alton (Tamara) Johnson III, Gregory (Jasmine) Byrne and Travis Byrne; a host of great-grandchildren throughout the country , great-great-grandchildren, daughters-in-law, Dorothy “Dee” Luck of Girard, Ohio, and Evan Luck of Charlotte, NC; brother-in-law, Willard (Michelle) Gidney of Youngstown; and a host of loving nieces, nephews, extended family, church family, neighbors and lifelong friends.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Marion, whom he married on June 6, 1952, who died on April 4, 2016; his sons, Harold Rucker, Sr. and Lee T. Rucker, Jr.; his parents and siblings: Eberhart, James, Lish “LH”, David Vernon, Julian, Bobby Downer, Willie Sue Banks and Alessia Gaither.
The family is forever grateful for the loving care provided by Pat and Jim Green, Pastor Mark and First Lady Sandra Parks, the Pilgrim Baptist Church family Judy Gidney, the rehabilitative facility Windsor Freedom House, Rutland Place Senior Facility and its therapeutic staff who truly cared for him; the Park Vista residents who always cared for him, the compassionate nurses at TriStar Summit Medical Center and Gentiva Hospice.
Visitation will be on Saturday, December 20, 2025 from 10:00 – 11:00 AM at Pilgrim Baptist Church, 67 McClure Street, Struthers, OH 44471. A celebration of life will follow at 11:00 A.M.
Ministries of comfort, love and dignity have been entrusted to LE Black, Phillips & Holden Funeral Home.
In honor of the deep love and legacy he left behind, we share this verse: “Children are the crown of an old man, and the glory of his father is his children.” — Proverbs 17:6 (King James Version)
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Lee T. “Tommy” Rucker, Sr., please visit our florist.
The televised memorial service will air on Thursday, December 18 at the following approximate times: 7:10 am on FOX, 12:22 pm on WKBN, 5:08 pm on MyYTV and 7:27 pm on WYTV. The video will be posted here the day it airs.
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