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Ralph Rucker Obituary
Dr. Rucker grew up in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, attending College High. He later attended the University of Oklahoma and then medical school at Northwestern University School of Medicine. He convinced the love of his life, Sherry Lee Allen, to marry him in 1966. He completed his medical training in Houston, TX. He served as an Army physician in Korea until 1972. Serving for over 17 years as a pediatrician, pulmonologist, and neonatologist at Children's Hospital of Orange County (CHOC), where he pioneered the CHOC Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) and pulmonary programs.
Ralph and Sherry retired to Haskell, Oklahoma in 1991 where he established the Rucker Ranch, raising cattle and 'growing' his family. There, he continued his passion for numismatics, the Civil War, endless reading, ranching, gardening and his grandchildren. He and Sherry are members of the First United Methodist Church of Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. He was also quite active with the Stone Bluff Senior Citizen Center in Haskell, Oklahoma.
Those who mourn his loss include his wife Sherry Rucker; brother Clinton Allen Rucker of Los Angeles, California; son Ralph Weller Rucker III and daughter-in-law Jennifer Rucker of Dallas, Texas; son William Allen Rucker and daughter-in-law Wendy Rucker of Haskell, Oklahoma; daughter Robyn Rucker of Haskell, Oklahoma; son-in-law Brian Arant and daughter Dr. Rebecca Rucker Arant of Tulsa, Oklahoma. Ralph was the proud grandfather of 11 grandchildren: William II, Callie, Ralph IV, Jackson, Trent, Brody, Skylar, Avery, Connor, Jessa and Cole.
He was preceded in death by his father Dr. Ralph Weller Rucker I, his mother Laura Allen Rucker, sister Louise Rucker Connor, and sister Rosalind Rucker Dick.
Celebration of Life was held July 12, 2018 at First United Methodist Church.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Ralph Rucker
6 Entries
Debby and Dale Mayers
September 1, 2019
May God bless you and your family in this time of sorrow. We really miss Ralph riding his tractor down the road. He was such a sweet man.
June 5, 2019
Sorry for your loss. May your family 2 Cor 1:2 "Have underserved kindness and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ".
Lois Rucker
July 12, 2018
Rest in peace Ralph. I will miss you. All my love to your family.
Mark Borckardt
July 10, 2018
Rest in peace dear friend. You will be missed but never forgotten. My prayers and sympathies to the family.
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