Melvyn Rucker

Melvyn E."Cue" Rucker, 80, of Navarre, Florida, passed away Saturday, December 16, 2017, after a long struggle with serious medical conditions. Melvyn was from Hitchins, Kentucky, and was one of four children born to Boyd and Jewell Rucker. The family moved to Grayson, Kentucky, where he attended high school and acquired his love for playing basketball. He was a U.S. Air Force veteran and attended college at the University of Kentucky and Morehead State University where he met and married his wife, Kay Williamson. He became an industrial painter and moved his family to New Lebanon, Ohio. After 30 years, he and his wife retired to Navarre, Florida. He was preceded in death by two brothers, David Rucker who died at birth, his older brother Clarence C. Rucker; and his first great grandchild, Vanessa Jewell Smallwood. Cue is survived by his wife of 54 years, Kay Rucker of Navarre, Florida; a sister, Pheba (Louis) Rupert of Fort Walton Beach, Florida; a son, Phillip Boyd Rucker of Germantown, Ohio; a daughter, Merinda (Matt) Bilotta from Northfield, Ohio; five grandchildren, Kirsten (Adam) Elligott, Marcus Boyd Rucker, Aaron (Shannon) Daniels, Ashtyn (Tanel) Rothla, and Lacey Renee Rucker; and six great grandchildren, Aubree, Chase, Kimmy, Callie, Aiden, and Brycen. An open house celebration of his life will take place at the residence of his son, Phillip, at 9251 Eby Rd., Germantown, Ohio 45327 on Saturday, December 30, 2017 from 2:00 to 6:00 p.m. All friends and family members are invited to drop in and share happy thoughts and memories of Melvyn. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Scleroderma Foundation at www.scleroderma.org or to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association at www.phassociation.org. He will be so missed by so many. Scleroderma Foundation - National Office 300 Rosewood Drive, Suite 105 Danvers, MA 01923 PHONE: (978) 463-5843 Pulmonary Hypertension Association 801 Roeder Road, Suite 1000 Silver Spring, Md. 20910