Obituary of Mary Louise Tucker

Mrs. Mary Louise Tucker, 101, of Titusville went to her eternal home for her long anticipated eternal rest on Monday, February 8, 2021.

            She was born on February 14, 1919 at home on the Union City area family farm to Clyde Harold and Mary Ann Van Tassel Rust.  At the time of her birth, her mother was critically ill with the Spanish influenza, so she was named for her mother.

            Mary was a 1937 graduate of the former Bloomfield High School, where she played basketball and served as class president.

            On September 29, 1938, she was married to John Robert Tucker of Titusville.  She was a skilled seamstress, knitter, and an avid gardener.  Her vegetable and flower gardens were her pride and joy. 

            She was the oldest surviving member of the Titusville First Presbyterian Church.

            For many years she worked for Singer Sewing Centers as a bookkeeper and sewing instructor in Titusville, Meadville, Oil City and Glendale, CA.  She was also the first female Singer manager west of the Mississippi.

            Family and friends will miss her life stories of the past century.  They entertained and inspired many.

            She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, a sister, Genevieve Stranahan, a niece, Lee Anne Ellis Loveless, and a nephew, Bill “Butch” Ellis.

            Survivors include her daughter, Judy Bedford and husband Jim of Saegertown; grandchildren, Jill Ann Waterhouse and husband Mark of Bellefonte, Joseph John Bedford of Saegertown, and Jason Gar Bedford and wife Ashley of Pretoria, South Africa; great grandchildren, Kai Tucker Frost Bedford, and twins Oran James Frost Bedford and Henry Wyatt Frost Bedford of Pretoria, South Africa; nieces, Patricia Stranahan of Virginia, Susan Stranahan of Florida, and Myrna Sanford of Meadville; and nephews, John Stranahan of Canadohta Lake and Jay Ellis of North Carolina; and her feline “kids” Tyler and Katy Sue.

            The family is grateful to her compassionate caregivers, Nancy, Judy R., Nanette, Pam, Sandy, Laura, Paula, Donna, Dawn and Lyndee, and the Hospice nurses of Crawford County, as well as many caring neighbors.

            A memorial service will be conducted at a more favorable time.

            Memorials may be made to Hospice of Crawford County 317 N. Monroe St. Titusville, PA 16354; the First Presbyterian Church 216 N. Franklin St. Titusville, PA; Benson Memorial Library 213 N. Franklin St. Titusville, or to the Saegertown Area Library 325 Broad St. Saegertown, PA 16433.