RUCKER, ARBUCKLE

Posted by Cathy Gowdy on Monday, March 21, 2011 at 05:18:27 :

Independent Journal
Monday, April 23, 1979
Page 4

NELLIE A. RUCKER

Nellie Arbuckle Rucker, a sculptor and one of the founders of the Marin Art and Garden Center, died in a Vallejo hospital Saturday and a funeral will be held at 1 p.m. Tuesday in Keaton’s Mortuary. She was 84.

The daughter of a California pioneer, she was a native of Callahan, Siskiyou County, and came to Marin County in 1933 after working as an art teacher in Alaska and San Diego. She also taught at the College of Marin.

During her art career, she was commissioned for work by several California cities. She was very active in the management of the Oakland Holiday Decorations Show.

Her own interests centered on garden sculpture, particularly mosaics with designs of fish, birds and other nature forms.

She served on the Marin Society of Artists board of directors for eight years, and started the magazine “Palette” in 1949. She edited it for 12 years.

She was also a founder and president of Recreation for the Blind at Enchanted Hills.

Since her late husband, Aaron E. Rucker, was a San Rafael attorney and lieutenant colonel in the Army Reserve, she was a member and president of the California Lawyers’ Wives Guild and belonged to the Reserve Officers Ladies Club.

She also was a member of the Thursday Musical Club.

She was a 1918 graduate of the University of California at Berkeley.

Survivors include a brother, Jack Arbuckle of Fresno, and numerous nieces and nephews.

Interment will take place in the Presidio National Cemetery in San Francisco.