Jeffrey Lamont Rucker

Jeffrey Lamont Rucker was born on November 5, 1965 at Meharry Hospital in Nashville, Tennessee to his mother, then Ruby Brown. Jeff’s early childhood was shaped by the enduring strength of his mother as she overcame the challenges of being a young single-parent and paved the way for his successes and many of the strengths he later developed.

After having Jeff at the tender age of 15 years old, his mother, Ruby, went on to graduate from high school on time and pursue a career in healthcare, eventually becoming a registered nurse in order to provide for Jeff. She dedicated her life to providing the best upbringing she could for her son.

As a child, Jeff was known to be sweet, loving, and sensitive. These traits were in large part due to the unbreakable love and connection he had with his maternal grandmother, Lula Mai Brown (deceased 1994), affectionately called Mother Dear. She, along with his uncle, Paul Brown (deceased 2000), played a vital role in Jeff’s formative years, often babysitting and caring for him unconditionally. In 1973, Jeff’s father, Thomas Glover Rucker, Jr., married his mother, now Ruby Rucker, and adopted Jeff, cementing a relationship that began in earnest at age 5. Thomas Rucker, however, had been acquainted with Jeff during his entire life, having been an admirer of and friend to his mother Ruby since high school. In fact, the story goes that Jeff naturally evolved from calling his father “Mr. Rucker” to one day, without fanfare or official proclamation, simply calling him “Daddy.” These special bonds were fundamental to creating the foundation of the person Jeff would become.

Jeff attended several elementary schools in Nashville – Whitsitt, Glenview, Glendale, and Paragon Mills – due to family moves. Despite those transitions, he remained a good student academically and socially, and easily made friends. Athletics were an early passion for Jeff; he started playing organized sports at age 7, including T-ball, baseball, and peewee football, honing many of his athletic skills at the Nashville Boys Club, where he made many friends. For middle school, Jeff attended Wright Junior High School and West End Junior High School.

Jeff truly started to come into his own during his time at Hillwood High School, graduating in 1984. He was a highly engaged student athlete, playing basketball and football, often serving as team captain. Jeff was also selected to participate in INROADS, a prestigious career prep program, through which he earned an academic scholarship and summer internships. In high school, Jeff was well liked and popular; the pool parties he held at his parents’ house were memorable, and many of his long-lasting friendships took root during this phase of life.

He attended and graduated from Middle Tennessee State University in 1988 with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Computer Information Systems. This led to a lasting career in information technology (IT), with his final role of IT Supply Chain Business Operations Lead at Nissan Motor Corporation, where he worked for a decade. Jeff also earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Bethel University in 2016. Jeff was particularly resourceful with an entrepreneurial edge. He was a “multitasker” –always reading a book, tracking the news, and simultaneously researching on his computer to grow his knowledge about recent market trends. He leveraged his talent in spotting opportunities and providing guidance to others to realize additional avenues to support his family and open windows for generational success.

Jeff was married to his former wife, Marina Rucker, for more than 20 years, in a union that produced what he described as his greatest accomplishments – his daughters Danielle Ruby Rucker and Shanna Marie Rucker. Jeff dedicated his life as a father to ensuring his girls had all the resources, access to the best academics, and a loving environment to learn and grow. As Jeff led his family spiritually, he embraced the Baha'i Faith, a religion based on principles of the oneness of God, religion, and humanity. He and his family joined the Baha’i Faith and maintained a devotion to God throughout their family life.

In parenthood, Jeff incorporated his passions for sports as a means of creating pathways for self-esteem and character development for his daughters. Danielle and Shanna both played competitive sports, and Jeff was a constant cheerleader, their first coach, and advisor to them. Jeff had taken a similar approach with his little sister, Keisha, when she played softball from ages 7 to 14 as well as his 2-year-old granddaughter, Jinora Blount.

Enjoying life and making the most of it were important to Jeff. He regularly attended a variety of events – comedy shows, sporting events, live concerts and more. He loved football and was a tireless fan of the Tennessee Titans, maintaining an annual PSL (personal seat license) since the inaugural season and attending many home games.

One of Jeff’s coaching inspirations, Jim Valvano, once said, “Cancer can take away all my physical abilities. It cannot touch my mind; it cannot touch my heart; and it cannot touch my soul. And those three things are going to carry on forever.” Jeff was diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer in July 2022. Despite his prognosis, Jeff was determined to see the positive in life any chance he got. Through his toughest days, you could see Jeff’s smile beaming at his favorite comedy clubs or hear his cheers echoing in Nissan Stadium. Jeff truly believed that he was blessed to have lived a full and happy life. Jeff departed this life on Sunday, February 26 at 5:29 AM surrounded by the family that brought him so much pride and joy.

Jeff was preceded in death by his brother, Anthony Lamar Rucker (deceased 2015). He leaves behind his children Danielle Rucker and Shanna (Denzel) Rucker Blount; his granddaughter Jinora Blount; his parents Ruby and Thomas Rucker; his sister, Keisha (Lonnie) Danielle Rucker-Edwards; his nieces Kallahari and Asali Edwards; his grandmother Flora Rucker; his former wife Marina Rucker; and a host of loving family members and friends.

A visitation for Jeffrey will be held Saturday, March 4, 2023 from 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM at Woodlawn-Roesch-Patton Funeral Home & Memorial Park, 660 Thompson Ln, Nashville, TN 37204, followed by a funeral service at 2:30 PM.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.Woodlawn-Roesch-PattonFH.com for the Rucker family.