ROBERT STEPHEN TUCKER
1948-2018
Robert “Bob” Stephen Tucker, age 70 of Houston, Texas, passed away surrounded by his family on December 8, 2018.
Born in Chicago, Illinois on October 31, 1948, Bob grew up with his three brothers and two sisters in Galion, Ohio (“Home of the Tigers”). Bob graduated from Galion High School in 1966, where he was captain of the varsity football team his junior and senior years. Bob graduated from Kent State University and received an MBA from Miami University. Bob began his career at American Greetings Corporation and Coopers & Lybrand. In 1977, Bob joined SOHIO in Cleveland, which started a wonderful career at SOHIO/British Petroleum, where Bob worked in Human Resources and Labor Relations until his retirement in 2007.
Through his job at BP, Bob met many wonderful people and lifelong friends all over the world. Bob lived in San Francisco, Anchorage, Houston, Cleveland, and London during his career. In 1980, Bob met Hilary Ware at the San Francisco office. Hilary and Bob married in San Francisco in 1988.
Bob’s greatest legacy and love was his family. Bob is survived by his loving wife of 30 years, Hilary Ware; his son, Austin Tucker; his daughter, Alexandra (Tucker) Rapisarda, and son-in-law, Mark Rapisarda; his motherin-law, Maureen Ware; his siblings, Bill Tucker, Meri Reinhold, Elizabeth Tucker, Jon Tucker, and David Tucker; and his dogs, Junebug, Maxwell, and Bailey.
Anyone who crossed paths with Bob knows that he lived life to the very fullest with passion every step of the way. Bob was both an avid golfer and skier and loved to sail in his beloved Maui. An exceptional cook, Bob entertained many over the course of the years and enjoyed passing down his special recipes. Bob had a deep love of music and an amazing mind for trivia. Whether driving on a family trip or at the conclusion of a wonderful meal, you always needed to be prepared to be quizzed in one of his games. Bob never missed an opportunity to support The Ohio State Buckeyes and instilled his love for the team in his children.
In 2014, Bob faced his greatest challenge: a diagnosis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Bob received a single lung transplant on June 17, 2016. The gift of life granted Bob a joyous two and a half years; he traveled with Hilary, caught up with old friends, watched his children graduate and start their careers, and celebrated his daughter’s marriage.
The family would like to thank the medical staff at the Houston Methodist Lung Transplant Center and the wonderful team at Houston Hospice.
Services will be held on Friday, December 21st at 2:00 PM at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Houston, followed by a celebration of life at the family’s home. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in memory of Robert Tucker to the Methodist Hospital Foundation, lung transplant program, P.O. Box 4384, Houston, Texas 77210.