Pastor Omar P. Rucker

Pastor Omar P. Rucker Pastor Omar P. Rucker, 87, of Charleston went home to be with his Lord on Sunday, January 30, 2011, after an extended illness. He was a member of Maranatha Baptist Church. He had previously pastored 15 churches in West Virginia and two in Ohio. He retired from Davis Memorial Baptist Church, Charleston, June 2009. In his own words: “I was born into the world April 25, 1923. On February 16, 1949, I was born in Christ Jesus, My Lord and Savior. 11 months later, in January 1950, God called me to preach His word. I was ordained as a minister of the gospel in September of the same year.� It is only fitting that 61 years later, Pastor Rucker would be again called by God, but this time the calling was home to heaven. Having finished the race for Christ, Pastor Rucker will be remembered best as a man who clearly presented the good news of Jesus Christ with a passion to honor the Lord Jesus. His sons, Donnie and Ronnie, praise God for their heritage of love and commitment to Christ. He was a veteran of the World War II, era, serving in the Army from March 1943 to November 1945. Wounded in Action in France on Oct. 2, and captured, he became a prisoner-of-war from Oct. 2, 1944, until April 27, 1945, in Germany. He was preceded in death by his loving wife of 65 years, Edith Pauline Rucker, parents, Jonah F. and Minerva Elizabeth Rucker; brothers, Emmor, Herley and Denver Rucker; sisters, Macie Estep and Dorcie Huffman; and grandson, Donnie R. Rucker, Jr. Surviving are his sons and their wives, Pastor Ronnie O. and Leaile Rucker of Jasper, Ga., and Donnie R. and Janette Rucker of Charleston; grand-children and their spouses, Amy and Bill Martin of Jasper, Ga., and Jonathan R. and Amber Rucker of Elkview; and great-grandchildren, Zoe Rucker, Zach Bjork and Ben, Sam and Phoenix Martin all of Jasper, Ga., and Emma and Kenzie Rucker of Elkview. The family wishes to express our appreciation to Delores Day for her dedicated care of our father. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to Maranatha Baptist Church Building Fund, 1 Maranatha Acres, Charleston, WV 25312, or Hubbard Hospice House, 1001 Kennawa Drive, Charleston, WV 25311. Funeral services will be 11 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 5, at Maranatha Baptist Church, Charleston. Donnie will be ministering in music while Ronnie will present the celebration message. Pastors Benny Bess and Kevan Bartlett and Evangelist Glenn Matthews will assist in the home-going celebration. Burial will be in Rucker Family Cemetery, Elkview, with military graveside rites provided by American Legion Post No. 61 Clendenin. Visitation with the family will be from 5 to 8 p.m. Friday and one hour prior to the service, also at Maranatha Baptist Church.