Paula Kay (Gordon) Tucker

Paula Kay Tucker, 77, of Logan, Ohio passed away in the arms of her loving family at The Pickering House hospice on Thursday, August 26th after a sudden, brief, and courageous second battle with cancer.

Paula was born on February 3rd, 1944 in Zanesville, Ohio and raised in New Lexington, Ohio by her parents Ralph Sr. and Dorothy (King) Gordon who preceded her in death. She was also preceded in death by two infant siblings and her husband’s parents Eugene and Pauline Tucker all of New Lexington.

She is survived by her loving husband Edward with whom she shared more than 55 years of love, laughter, shenanigans, raising their two boys, family, adventures, travel, dogs, and great friends.

She is also survived by her devoted sons, Todd of Cottonwood, Arizona and Tyler (Victoria) of Logan; granddaughters Sienna of Logan and Stephanie Garrett (Matt) of Canal Winchester, Ohio. Also surviving are brother Ralph Gordon Jr. of Columbus, Ohio; brothers-in-law Tom and Ron Tucker of Galloway, Ohio; several nieces, nephews, cousins and extended family including exchange student Will Weir of Brisbane, Australia; a wealth of wonderful friends from all eras of her life; and her special fur baby Jada.

She graduated from New Lexington High School in 1963 and Ohio University in 1966 with a Bachelor of Science degree in secondary education and later a Master of Special Education degree, both with honors. She began her 33-year teaching career at the Athens State Hospital in Athens, Ohio; spent six years in the Starr Washington School District; and in 1999 retired from the Logan-Hocking School District and Logan High School as a teacher of Special Education. She continued to substitute teach, tutor, and prepare students for standardized testing for several years after her retirement. The joy and love that she had for teaching left a lifelong imprint on her students and family who remember her as a caring and compassionate teacher.

After retiring from teaching, she turned her attention to other pursuits. In 2000 she was the first (and currently only) woman elected as Mayor of Logan. During her tenure she oversaw many improvements including: bringing new industry and jobs to the city; helping to establish the Washboard Music Festival and the Logan in Bloom downtown flower program; and writing grants to fund the Willow Pond and Aqueduct Park which spoke to her love of nature, the outdoors, and the beauty of the Hocking Hills. Throughout her term as mayor and beyond, she served with honor & dignity and did what she believed would benefit the citizens of Logan most.

She was a founding member and served on the board of directors for the Hocking Hills Inspire Shelter; served as the Interim Executive Director of the Logan-Hocking Chamber of Commerce; served on the Hocking College Board of Trustees; was a sitting member of the Logan-Holl Foundation; served on the Logan City Board of Zoning Appeals; was a long-standing member of the Delta Kappa Gamma professional sorority for women educators; and was a member of the Loyal Order of the Moose. She also participated in the Logan Cancer Support Group and Relay for Life.

A lifelong fan and spectator of many different sports, she was fortunate to attend the Olympic Games, the Final Four basketball tournament, the World Series, and a Super Bowl. Her favorite teams were the Ohio University Bobcats, the Ohio State Buckeyes, the Cleveland Indians, and of course her beloved Logan High School Chieftains, especially the boys and girls basketball teams. She was an avid golfer and in 1987 she scored a hole-in-one at the Hocking Hills Golf Club.

She would want to be remembered for the mark she left on our lives as a loving wife and best friend, a patient and nurturing parent and grandparent, a caring educator, a diligent public servant, and an example to others as someone who always showed compassion toward the underdog, the downtrodden, and the disadvantaged. She was a generous and giving woman who was strong-willed and passionate about the causes and principles that she so strongly believed in throughout her life and career.

Visitation hours will take place Saturday, September 4th from 12pm-3pm with a Celebration of Life service to immediately follow at 3pm at Roberts Funeral Home, 60 W. Hunter St. Logan, Ohio 43138. 

Due to the current pandemic and for your safety, masks are encouraged.

In accordance with Paula’s wishes, her family asks that in lieu of flowers, please donate in her name to the Hocking Hills Inspire Shelter, 841 Old McArthur Rd., Logan, Ohio 43138 hockinghillsinspireshelter.org or to Fairhope Hospice (The Pickering House) 282 Sells Rd., Lancaster, Ohio 43130 fairhopehospice.org.

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