John Ragland Tucker

A Memorial Service for Mr. John Ragland Tucker, 80, of Jacksonville, formerly of Gulf Shores, will be at 12 pm on Tuesday, May 17, 2022, in the Chapel of K.L. Brown Funeral Home and Crematory in Jacksonville. The Rev. Robert Fowler will officiate. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home on Tuesday.
Mr. Tucker passed away on Sunday, May 1, 2022.
John was born in Huntsville, AL and raised in Anniston, AL. He graduated from Anniston High School where he infamously won the Talent Show. He then went on to attend Auburn University. John had a 40-year career in the field of labor relations as a union business representative, Mediator, and finally, Director of Mediation Services for eight years. His southern charm and down-to-earth style made him a natural at these positions and put everyone who worked with him at ease. Many accolades were bestowed upon John during these 40 years. From 1965-1976, he was elected as business representative of Northeast Alabama International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers, appointed the role of Federal Mediator, and then Regional Director of FMCS. John organized the Georgia Labor and Management Conference for years bringing both sides of labor and management together and growing this successful project. When promoted to Regional Director in St. Louis, MO John directed 22 Mediators throughout 8 states and was called upon many times to head mediation in major negotiations, too many to list. Upon retiring in 2004, John and Shirley moved to the Gulf Shores, AL where they lived for 15 years before moving to Jacksonville, AL in 2019. While in Gulf Shores John did blessed work as an active member of Holy Spirit Episcopal Church. He served on the vestry board, the school board, served communion, and started his famous Spaghetti Fund Raiser as well as many other functions at the church. Near and dear to John's heart was his ministry work at Atmore Prison. For several years, John ministered and witnessed to the prisoners by spending entire weekends at the prison and spending time with the inmates, writing letters to them, and bringing them to Christ. John was truly loved and respected by all that met him. Every person he encountered felt a sense of ease and trust from his kind, gentle and humorous demeanor.
Mr. Tucker is preceded in death by his parents, Lewis Edward and Theo Ragland Tucker.
He is survived by his wife, Shirley Dempsey Tucker; daughters, Lisa Bridell and her husband, Billy, and Lesa Tibbs, and her husband, Cory; grandchildren, Ragland Mackin, Brian Mackin, Jr. and his wife Mallory, Mary Aileen Mackin, Griff Bridell and his wife, Katie, Ben Bridell and his wife, Abby, and Sam Bridell; and four great grandchildren, Lottie, Jack, Henry, and Susan Bridell.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to Holy Spirit Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 2346, Gulf Shores, AL 36547, (251) 968-5988, Email: holyspiritep@gmail.com or to St. Luke's Episcopal Church, P.O. Box 55, Jacksonville, AL 36265, (256) 435-9271, Email: office@stlukesal.org
Online condolences may be made to the family at www.klbrownfuneralhome.com.
K.L. Brown Funeral Home and Crematory
322 Nisbet Street NW
Jacksonville, AL 36265
(256) 435-7042