Michael R. Tucker

Michael R. Tucker

Sun Lakes - Michael was born on April 3, 1941, in Dallas, Texas, the son of Raymond and Glyn Wallace Tucker. He grew up in Dallas and went to school there. When Michael was in high school, his father accepted a job in the aircraft industry in Hayward California and the family relocated there. Mike graduated from San Lorenzo High School. The Tucker family attended church every Sunday and on their first Sunday in California, they attended a neighborhood church where he met a girl who would eventually become his wife. Mike and Nancy Shull dated some while in high school and in 1961, while they were in college, they married. During those years of high school, Mike felt a calling to enter the ministry. Mike began preparation for ministry while attending Western Baptist College (now Corban University). Their oldest child was born just prior to Michael's graduation. Mike and Nancy immediately moved to Dallas, Texas where Michael completed a four-year seminary degree at Dallas Theological Seminary. At his graduation ceremony, Mike was presented with the prestigious H. A. Ironside Award in Expository Preaching, an honor that he cherished for the remainder of his life. Mike loved to preach and his life goal was to "Preach The Word." Mike always preached with humor, and stories and illustrations to help listeners understand the Bible. His sermons did not lack scholarship. Just prior to Mike's seminary graduation, a second child was born. The first church that Mike pastored was in Birmingham, Alabama. While Mike and Nancy lived in Birmingham, a third child was born. Their family was now complete with sons Mark David, Haddon Criswell and daughter Shannon Noel. Mike received an invitation to become the Pastor of Pulpit Rock church in Colorado Springs, Colorado where he ministered for twelve years. That small church grew to several thousand attendees. During his time in Colorado, Mike earned his doctoral degree from Denver Seminary. In 1981 the family moved to Tempe where Mike became the pastor of Bethany Community Church. During his tenure at Bethany, the church grew from 400 to about 3,000 regular attendees and the congregation completed several new buildings on the campus. Mike completed his pastoral ministry as the pastor of Faith Community Church in Chandler. Mike loved to ride motorcycles, hike and fish in his beloved Colorado but most of all, he loved to preach. For many years, Mike had a counselling and church consulting firm. He served at 21st Century Ministries until his health required that he retire this year. Mike is survived by his wife of 58 years, Nancy Shull Tucker and two children: His son Mark of Wheaton, Illinois and Mark's wife Karen, and their children Michael and Sarah, and his daughter Shannon Carpenter of Gilbert and her husband Scott and their children Cali, Lauren and Emma. His son Haddon Tucker is deceased. Mike is now safe at home in heaven with the Savior he loved and served. Services will be held at Sun Valley Church Tempe Campus on Saturday, September 7th at 10.00 A.M.