Cecelia Cassandra "Cee Cee" Tucker

Cecelia Taliaferro Tucker, affectionately known as "Cee Cee," passed away peacefully on July 29, 2025, at the age of 86.

Born Cecelia Cassandra Taliaferro on April 17, 1939, in Martinsville, Virginia, she later moved with her family to South Hill, Virginia. She was the daughter of school principal Emmett Nelson Taliaferro and schoolteacher Josephine Foster Taliaferro. She had two younger siblings, Brenda Aurelia and Emmett Nelson II.

Cecelia's dedication to education and service began with her own academic pursuits, graduating valedictorian of East End High School, then earning a bachelor of science degree in biology, cum laude, from Virginia Union University in Richmond, VA. She later obtained a master of science degree in biology from Michigan State University. Her early career was spent as a high school biology teacher at Booker T. Washington High School in Norfolk, Virginia. She was also recognized as a Distinguished Teacher and Instructor by the Booker T. Washington High School Friends and Alumni Association.

In 1965, she married Billy Jack "BJ" Tucker, MD, and they remained married for 40 years until his passing in 2005. Together, they raised three daughters, Karen, Kelly, and Kimberly, and were the proud grandparents of four grandchildren: Brielle Arrington and Miles, Dallas, and Jordan Broomes.

Her career was defined by a commitment to improving relationships among all communities and races. In the early 1980's she began volunteering and working for nonprofits. She was an entrepreneur at Norfolk Waterside when it opened in 1983. She served as Director and later Chair of the Board of Directors for the William A. Hunton YMCA, where her leadership was marked by wisdom, vision, purpose, and heart. She remained an unwavering presence at the YMCA, serving with grace and determination until her passing. She also served the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities (VCIC) since the late 1980s, where her leadership provided strategic direction and helped build important relationships. The VCIC enthusiastically elected her to Emeritus Status upon the conclusion of her term and honored her with their Humanitarian Award in 2002.

In 1991, she was recruited by then-President James V. Koch to serve as the Assistant to the President for Community Relations at Old Dominion University. Her extensive work with the University focused especially on the minority and African-American communities of Hampton Roads and driving diversity across the campus. During her tenure, she joined Town-N-Gown, an organization dedicated to aligning ODU with its community, and initiated the Lambert's Point Summer Youth Program, which positively impacted children in the immediate community for many years. Cee Cee's tenure in this role spanned more than 30 years and she served with distinction for four University presidents, retiring during the administration of President Brian O. Hemphill in 2022 with the title Assistant to the President emerita. Upon retirement, Old Dominion endowed a University scholarship in her name and Norfolk Mayor, Kenneth Alexander,PhD. issued a civic proclamation in her honor.

After retiring from Old Dominion University at age 83, Cecelia was recruited to Virginia Wesleyan University by President Scott Miller and worked as Special Advisor to the President on Diversity until her passing on July 29, 2025.

Cecelia's unparalleled service extended to numerous organizations throughout her life. She was president of the American Cancer Society's Tidewater Chapter and the Tidewater Chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice. She personally helped raise significant funds for the Norfolk Community Hospital, Hunton YMCA, and the United Negro College Fund. She also held three state appointments by Governors John Dalton and Charles S. Robb.

Cecelia served on boards of numerous community organizations, including: founding member of the Urban League of Hampton Roads, ODU Friends of the Library, Virginia Stage Company, Young Audiences of Virginia, the Virginia Beach Community Services Board, the African-American Jewish Coalition, Empowerment 2010, the Dwelling Place, Kam Chancellor's Foundation, Kam Cares, Envision, Lead Grow, William A. Hunton YMCA, Rotary Club of Hampton Roads, Norfolk Education Foundation, American Red Cross of Southeastern Virginia, Minority Advisory Council of United Way and the L.D. Britt Scholarship Committee. She served as President of the American Cancer Society's Tidewater Chapter and the Tidewater Chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice (now the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities). She also served as former President of the Auxiliary to the Norfolk Medical Society.

Cee Cee has been honored with such awards as the Service Martin Luther King Award and the Outstanding Service Award from the Norfolk Chapter of The Links, Incorporated, the McDonald's Hampton Roads Black Achievement Award, Tidewater Community College's Martin Luther King Award, Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, Trailblazer's Award, National Conference for Community and Justice Humanitarian Award, Zonta International 2002 Women's Achievement Award, Norfolk NAACP Lifetime Investment in Freedom Award, Urban League of Hampton Roads Legacy Award, YWCA Women of Distinction Award, Old Dominion University Chapter of the NAACP President's Award, the National Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, an Honorary Member Award from the Golden Key Honor Society of Old Dominion University, Friends and Alumni Association Distinguished Teacher and Instructor and the Pioneer and Valuable Member Award from the Minority Advisory Council of United Way. Cee Cee received the Hampton Roads Legend Award from the Urban League of Hampton Roads Young Professionals, the Diversity and Inclusion Award from SunTrust Bank, the Children's Harbor Anchor Award, Young Girls Rule Community Pillar Award and Girl Scouts of America Famous Former Award, Old Dominion Inaugural Presidential Medallion for Distinguished Service awarded to a non-President. . Cecelia also served as a board member of the Further, she was a member of the historic Bank Street Memorial Baptist Church in Norfolk for more than 50 years and served on the Board of Trustees Ministry. At 86 years old, in May of 2025, Cecelia joined Visionaries for Change, a giving circle of the Hampton Roads Community Foundation.

Cecelia's life of service began with initiation into Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated in 1957. She later joined the Norfolk Chapter of The Links, Inc and was a founding member (1972) of the Virginia Beach Chapter of the Pinochle Bugs.

Cecelia is now reunited with her family who preceded her in death, including her parents, Emmett and Josephine Taliaferro, husband, BJ Tucker, MD, and siblings Brenda Arnwine and Emmett N. Taliaferro II. She is survived by her children, grandchildren, brother-in-law Artell Tucker, nephew Emmett Nelson Taliaferro III (Catina), and their children Emmett IV and Tiana, niece Kristina Cecelia Arnwine Toliver (Michael) and their children Michael II and Mia, nephew Michael Arnwine (Alice) and their daughter Aurelia, niece Lori Baker (Derek) and her children Danielle and Carmen, nephew Jacob Tucker, nieces Andrea Tucker and Sabrina Tucker, niece Patricia Arnwine, niece Tammy Lindsay and her children Noelle and Jordan, first cousin and constant companion Vicky Cornelle (Gerard), bonus-daughter Velvet Grant, and a host of cousins, friends and extended family.

Cee Cee's legacy is a testament to a life spent in service, leading with wisdom, deep compassion, and boundless generosity. She will be remembered as a woman who compelled connectivity, shaped lives and changed futures, and her light will forever shine through the work she so fiercely loved.