William Rucker

William Ray Rucker, Sr., age 74 of North Port, FL, passed away at Tidewell Hospice on Thursday, June 13, 2019. He was born on January 31, 1945, to William Fayette Rucker and Edna Marie Evans Rucker, and graduated from Garfield High School in 1963. A member of the Moose Lodge, the Eagles Lodge, and a Free Mason, William was a commercial artist and former Art Director at WDTN in Dayton. The owner of Mother Rucker’s Speak Easy Disco between 1977 and 1979, William began promoting several area musical groups, developing friendships that would last his lifetime.

Throughout his life, from age fifteen on, he played Santa Claus at children’s homes, for personal friends’ family events and, for more than twenty-five years at Traders World. As a lifelong Cadillac enthusiast, he was known for his 1976 Cadillac El Dorado. "Willie" will be remembered by his Garfield classmates for his organization & planning of more than 20 class reunions that strengthened the bonds of friendship.

William is survived by his daughter, Doris Rucker, Wayne (Jamie) Rucker, Westley (Carol) Rucker; grandchildren, Cristopher Rucker, Raymond Rucker, Andrew Rucker, Katherine Rucker (Travis) McBride, Heather Rucker, Bonnie Rucker and future great grandson, Austin Rucker, Thomas Rucker, Zachery and Spencer Rucker, step grandson, Alex Coffey; great grandchildren, Bricen Penn, Kaylee Rucker, Maddison Rucker, Lillian Rucker, Skilar Rucker, Hunter McBride, Noah Rucker; brothers, Bob (Mary) and Sam Rucker; nieces and nephew, Robert Rucker and Andrica (Rogelio) Love. William was preceded in death by his parents; son, William Ray Rucker Jr.; wife, Kathy Rucker; brother, James Rucker; sister, Shirley Rucker.

Funeral service will be held at Brown Dawson Flick Funeral Home, 330 Pershing Ave., Hamilton, Ohio, on Friday, June 28, 2019 at 1:00 PM. Burial will follow at Rose Hill Burial Park. Visitation will be held on Friday, June 28, 2019 from 12:00 PM to 1:00 PM at Brown Dawson Flick Funeral Home.