Shirley L. Tucker

Shirley L. Tucker passed away peacefully on April 15, 2025, after a brief illness, just five days before her 93rd birthday. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and great-grandmother, Shirley lived a life centered around her family and her deep Catholic faith.

Born in Rochester, New York, Shirley was the daughter of George F. Lorenz, a noted architect in Rochester and Monroe County, whose work included Irondequoit Town Hall and the iconic clock tower of St. Joseph’s Church. On her maternal side, Shirley descended from the Klem and Wegman families—early settlers of Rochester. Her great-grandfather, Bernard Klem, hosted the first Catholic Mass in Rochester in his home, marking the beginning of a long tradition of faith that Shirley carried throughout her life.

Shirley attended Our Lady of Mercy High School, where she was active in clubs and sports, played the lead role of Jane Eyre in the senior class play, and was honored as Queen of the Senior Prom. It was during these formative years that she met her future husband, Gerard “Jerry” Tucker. After a year at Nazareth College, Shirley began working at the renowned Sibley’s department store in downtown Rochester.

In July 1952, Shirley and Jerry married and made their first home in Pittsford, NY, along the Erie Canal. As their family grew to include five children—David, Stephen, Joseph, Anne, and Gerard Jr.—the Tuckers moved to Montclair, NJ. There, as a dedicated parishioner of Immaculate Conception Church, Shirley found deeper expression of her faith, volunteering with church ministries and supporting humanitarian efforts. She and Jerry joined the Committee of Families for Vietnam, providing medical aid during the Vietnam War. Their work was honored with a home visit from the Archbishop of Saigon.

Shirley also served as a Eucharistic Minister, bringing Holy Communion to the homebound and ill, and stayed deeply involved in her children’s lives as a Cub Scout leader and Brownie den mother. During their years in Montclair, two more children, Mary and Christopher, completed the family.

Following a few years in Verona, NJ, Shirley and Jerry settled in Medford, NJ upon retirement. There, they became active members of St. Mary of the Lakes Church, where Shirley formed a lasting friendship with Fr. Joe Tedesco, a former monk of Mepkin Abbey. Even after Fr. Joe returned to monastic life at Mepkin Abbey, he and Shirley continued to correspond, sharing spiritual reflections and encouragement.

Later in life, Shirley and Jerry moved to Southampton, NJ, and enjoyed traveling the world together, particularly on their beloved annual cruises. After Jerry’s passing in 2015, Shirley spent her remaining years in Jacksonville, Florida.

Shirley is survived by her seven children—David, Stephen, Joseph, Anne, Gerard Jr., Mary, and Christopher—along with twelve grandchildren and fifteen great-grandchildren. She was predeceased by her beloved husband, Gerard Sr., and her grandson, Greg Karakos.

A Funeral Mass will be held on May 10, 2025, at Mepkin Abbey in Moncks Corner, South Carolina. The service will be celebrated by Fr. Joe Tedesco, and Shirley will be laid to rest beside her husband in the Abbey’s columbarium.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Shirley’s name to a charity of your choice.