Mary Beth Tucker

Mary Elizabeth Tucker, age 96, passed away on Friday, December 25, 2015, at the Anderson County Hospital Residential Living Center in Garnett, Kansas. Mary Beth was born on October 10, 1919, in Garnett, Kansas, the first child of Ralph Charles Fraker and Jessie Blanche Garris. Mary Beth lived her entire life in Garnett, graduating from Garnett High School in 1938. She was proud to have been born to one of Anderson County’s early pioneer families. Her grandfather, Charles Holden Fraker, arrived in Anderson County in 1857, where Wild Bill Hickok taught him how to shoot a gun and drive a stagecoach. At the age of nine, he shook hands with John Brown as John Brown left Anderson County with a stage of slaves on his way to Canada through the Underground Railroad. In 1863, his family’s cabin was ransacked by William Quantrill and his raiders as young Charley hid in a nearby tree. Mary Beth’s father, Ralph Charles Fraker and her brother owned Fraker Clothing Company, a Garnett landmark, for over 82 years. Her parents were also named Anderson County’s bicentennial couple by the Anderson County Historical Society in 1976. Mary Beth married Everett Allen “Tuck” Tucker on October 1, 1939. Their marriage lasted over 49 years, until his death in 1989. To this union were born three sons, Thomas Ralph, John Allen, and Christopher Lee. Mary Beth was stricken with polio in 1951, which resulted in paralysis of her right leg and abdominal muscles. She was released from the hospital in a brace from her ankle to her chest and was told she would never walk without it again. She soon discarded the brace and taught herself to walk. She never wanted anyone to know that she had a handicap. Despite these circumstances she had both John and Chris. She worked many years in the Registrar of Deeds Office in the Anderson County Courthouse, then at the Anderson County ACS Office, and finally retiring from the Kansas Department of Transportation in 1981. She enjoyed cooking, canning, and making candy and cookies during the holidays. She loved to distribute boxes of her sweets to numerous friends, relatives, and the nursing homes in Garnett at Christmas time. She had many hobbies including basket weaving, knitting, needlepoint, and most proudly her quilting. She was a member of the Quilt Guild for many years. Her family will always remember her delicious cooking, her pies, and the love she put into everything that she made. She had written cookbooks for each of her children to be sure that treasured family recipes endured and were passed on to the next generation. Preceding her in death were her parents, husband “Tuck”, son Tom, and grandson Trevor Tucker. She leaves her brother Ralph (Bud) Fraker, two sons, John Tucker (Topeka), Chris and Joan Tucker (Topeka), 5 grandchildren, 10 great grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren. Mary Beth loved her dogs. She had a dog every moment of her life and they were her constant companions who loved her, cared for her, and watched over her. A dog is the only thing on this earth that loves you more than he loves himself. The family would be honored if you would like to leave a memorial for our Mother at the funeral home or mailed to the Helping Hands Humane Society, 5720 SW 21st St, Topeka, KS 66604 or Prairie Paws Humane Society, 3173 Highway K68, Ottawa, KS 66067. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., on Wednesday, December 30, 2015, at the First United Methodist Church, Garnett, with burial to follow in the Garnett Cemetery. Family will greet friends from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., on Tuesday evening at the Feuerborn Family Funeral Service Chapel, Garnett. Condolences may be left at www.feuerbornfuneral.com