St. Clair County Obits

NINA LEONA TUCKER

St. Clair Courier
March 8, 1979
Page 4
Nina Leona Tucker, the third daughter of Thomas E. and Delia Johndrow Tucker was born Feb. 26, 1898 near Gerster, Mo. She departed this life Feb. 28, at 8:00 p.m. while she was reviewing the Home Missions book “Journey to California” at Fellowship Baptist Church at Lesterville, MO.

Leona began teaching at the age of seventeen in the rural schools in St. Clair and Hickory counties. She taught high school at Osceola, MO, Frankfort, Kansas, and Borger, Texas. She taught at Southwest Baptist College, Bolivar from 1937 until her retirement in 1970. She earned a Bachelor’s degree from S.M.S.U in Springfield and a Masters Degree from Missouri University in Columbia. She did Doctoral work at Peabody University in Tennessee.

Miss Tucker was an active member of the First Baptist Church, Bolivar, the W.M.U. and W.C.J.U. religious organizations.

Miss Tucker is survived by one brother, Homer, of Osceola, Mo, two nieces, Peggy Endley of Weaubleau, Mo, and Mary Joplin of Roswell, New Mexico; one nephew, Maurice Tucker of Lancaster, Texas, six great nieces and nephews, and a host of friends.

She was preceded in death by two brothers, Tobie and John and two sisters, Ora, in early childhood and Linnie Baxter.

She will be missed by relatives and friends. She was an inspiration to everyone whose lives she touched.

Submitted by Marie Reynolds