James Ray Tucker

James Ray Tucker of Rome, GA, passed from earthly life to eternal life on October 14, 2024. Ray, the identical twin of Roy Tucker, was born in Madisonville, KY, on October 17, 1946, to Robert G. and Ruth Helen Barnes Tucker. He is survived by Sandy Tucker, his wife of fifty-seven years; brother and sister-in-law Roy and Jamie Tucker of Madisonville; son and daughter-in-law John and Kristin Tucker of Atlanta, GA; and son and daughter-in-law Bryan and Misty Tucker of Richmond, KY. He was especially proud of his grandchildren Andrew (Erica) Tucker, Ft. Leavenworth, KS; Emma Tucker, Atlanta; Jake Tucker, Atlanta; Kayley Tucker, Shreve, OH; McKenzie Miller, Atlanta; Kaylee White, Madisonville; and Autumn Nichols, Richmond. Great-Grandchildren Lilly Jones, Ralph Tucker, and Addilynn and Emilee White increased the joy in his life. He is also survived by sisters-in-law Carol Garabato and Debbie Heltsley, brothers-in-law Frank Garabato and Rev. Roger Heltsley, and several nieces, nephews, great-nieces, and great-nephews.

Ray was preceded in death by his parents Bob and Ruth Helen Tucker; his grandparents James Ray and Hortense Tucker and B.B. and Robbie Barnes; and father-in-law and mother-in-law Ralph and Mary Jane Bryant.

A graduate of Madisonville High School, Ray attended Georgetown College where he was a member of the Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity and the Chapel Choir. He served as an Oceanographic Technician in the U.S. Navy from 1969-1973 with duty stations in Florida. Washington, and Newfoundland, Canada.

Ray was a former member of First Baptist Church, Paducah, and First Baptist Church, Madisonville, where he served as a deacon, Sunday School teacher, Training Union director, sanctuary choir member, and mission team member to Moscow, Russia. He was a member of Second Avenue Baptist Church, Rome, since moving to Rome in 2015. Even though Ray had lived in Paducah, Kentucky and Rome, Georgia, Madisonville would always be home.

The family wishes to thank therapists Marge Kinder, Teresa Weaver, Connie Shelley, and Maya Spivey from AdventHealth Redmond’s Get Up and Go Parkinson’s program for the encouragement, joy, and motivation they provided for Ray beginning shortly after Ray’s arrival in Rome.

A Celebration of Life will be held at Second Avenue Baptist Church on Saturday, October 26. Visitation will begin at 10:00 a.m., followed by an 11:00 service to be conducted by Rev. Jacob Roberts, senior pastor at SABC. An additional time of visitation will be held at Barnett Strother Funeral Home in Madisonville, KY on Sunday, October 27, at 1:00 p.m. Interment will follow at Oddfellows Cemetery in Madisonville.

Anyone wishing to honor Ray’s memory may make a contribution to any of the following or to a charity of the giver’s choosing:

Second Avenue Baptist Church, Norman Mathis Scholarship Fund, 823 E. 2nd Ave SW, Rome, GA 30161

The Charlie Williams Parkinson’s Foundation, 2442 Wayside Rd., Kingston, GA 30145

The AdventHealth Redmond Foundation, Parkinson’s Fund, P.O. Box 107001, Rome, GA 30162