Margaret Elaine “Peggy” Tucker, 98, of Pleasant Hill, was born June 20, 1920, in Independence, the daughter of Walter and Emma (Pooler) Bullard.
She departed this life, Saturday, December 15, 2018, at her daughter’s home in Belton, surrounded with love and family.
Margaret was baptized at the age of eight in the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and was a lifelong member of that church.
In 1933, when she was 13, the family moved to the Missouri Ozarks and lived near Ava. She graduated from Ava High School in 1937 and attended Graceland College in Lamoni, Iowa.
On July 2, 1939, Margaret was united in marriage to Keith Douglas Tucker in Ava; they made their home in Pleasant Hill. Their household included Keith’s 2½ year old twin boys and his mother, Nina, who had moved in to care for the babies. Keith and Margaret’s marriage produced 5 more children. Keith worked at the American Scale and Vise Company and became the superintendent; Margaret was the homemaker. They were members of the Pleasant Hill Congregation of the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Their children attended Prairie Dell Country School and all graduated from Pleasant Hill High School.
Margaret was an avid gardener and raised much of what the family ate. From an early age she was interested in photography and preserved many memories that her family now enjoys. Another special interest was identifying and harvesting wild mushrooms. At church over the years she served in many areas, including local women’s leader, stake women’s leader, and as teacher of classes for both children and adults. She had a talent for writing poems, short stories, family histories, and published three books; To Everything There Is a Season, a Natural Food Guide; Trek of Faith; and Biography of Richard Bullard.
With the untimely death of her husband Keith on February 5, 1975, and one son still at home, she needed a source of income. After working a couple of jobs, she opened The Little Red Hen Shop, the first wholegrain bakery in the Kansas City area. The shop opened in 1981 in her home and later moved to Pleasant Hill and expanded to include a lunch room. This gave her an opportunity to use her passion for promoting healthy eating. She sold the business in 1993 at the age of 73. Pleasant Hill was her home from 1939 to 2014 when she moved to her daughter and son-in-law’s home in Belton.
Perhaps her greatest legacy is being the loving matriarch of her big family. She has gathered them over the years, fed them, taught them, sometimes prodded them, and always encouraged them to follow Jesus Christ.
Margaret was preceded in death by her parents; her husband Keith; one son Robert Eugene Tucker; one grandson, Brandon Tucker; and her four siblings, Walter Enoch Bullard, Joseph Truman Bullard, Mary Elizabeth Melton and Eleanor Frances Walters.
She is survived by her six children, Keith Darrel (and Marveen Mahon) Tucker of Spring Branch, Texas; Kenneth Douglas (and Edna Smith) Tucker of Independence; Margaret (and Jim) Feagins of Belton; Leonard Walter (and Betty Dehn) Tucker of Independence; William Orison Tucker of Mission, Kan.; and Winfield Richard Tucker of Pleasant Hill; daughter-in-law Ida Tucker of Osceola; 19 grandchildren, 31 great grandchildren, 15 great-great grandchildren; many nieces and nephews; other relatives and a wealth of friends.
Funeral services will be held 1:00 p.m. Thursday, December 20, 2018, at the Pleasant Hill Community of Christ Church, 1007 Timber St. & 7 Hwy. Evangelist Don Carlile and Elder Duane Rogers will officiate. Interment will be in the Mound Grove Cemetery, Independence. Casket bearers are Darrell Tucker, Sean Gaulter, Ron Tucker, Bob Feagins, Shez Tucker, Chris Tucker, and Sean Tucker. Honorary casket bearers are Randy Tucker, Bryan Tucker, Ben Tucker, Josh Tucker, and Cody Tucker.
Visitation will be held noon until service time at the church on Thursday.
Memorial contributions are suggested to Pleasant Hill Community of Christ Church and may be sent in care of the funeral home.
Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.stanleydickeyfuneralhome.com
Arrangements: Stanley-Dickey Funeral Home, 203 N. Armstrong St.,
Pleasant Hill, Missouri 64080 (816) 540-5550