Obituary of Roger Edwin Tucker

Roger Edwin “Snicky” Tucker, 64, of Phoenixville, PA unexpectedly passed away on August 5^th  peacefully in his sleep.

Friends and Family are welcome to attend Roger's life celebration in England on Monday, September 23rd at the Hollie Hotel, Bower Hinton Martock, Somerset TA 12 6LG.  Visitation with the family will begin at 12:30, the ceremony will begin at 2 PM, followed by a time of continued sharing and fellowship. All are welcome.    A celebration of his life and a wonderful outpouring from the local community was held on Saturday August 17th at The Washington at Historic Yellow Springs.

Roger was born in Taunton, England to Ernie and Hazel Tucker on June 22nd, 1960 and grew up in the village of Martock, Somerset, England. As a boy Roger was rambunctious and always stirring up mischief with friends, whom he would stay connected to his whole life. He was a boxer, a talented soccer player at the semi-professional level, and an avid Manchester United fan.

In 1982 while traveling to see the World Cup he met his future wife Patricia McCue who was backpacking Europe. The train they were on stopped in Seville, Spain, where Roger and his friend got off and said “why don’t you come join us for a game”. The rest is history.

He moved to the United States and married Patti in 1987; they also had their marriage blessed in England. In the United States, he worked construction during the day, and began taking night courses at Ursinus College. He would always tell you he found his purpose in life the day his first child was born, his daughter Jessica, in October 1991. As if one child, a job, and school wasn’t enough he welcomed his first son, Blake, in August 1993. He achieved his Bachelor of Arts Degree in American History just in time for the birth of his third child, Jacqueline in May 1996.

After graduation, he worked at The Vanguard Group in Malvern, PA for 17 years in various financial management roles. During this time, he assisted his Father-in-Law with building the future Tucker family home. Shortly after settling into the new house, three kids were just too quiet, and he welcomed his fourth, and arguably noisiest child, Kyle in July 1999. Later in his career he worked as a Retirement Account Manager at Alerus, a financial services company. He retired from Alerus in December 2021, and even in retirement he reminded everyone of the importance of maximizing savings for their future.

He played and coached soccer throughout his life, coaching each of his children’s teams. He was dedicated to the sport and went on to achieve his UEFA B and USSF A coaching licenses. Throughout his coaching career he impacted players across multiple clubs including Phoenixville Area Soccer Club, Spirit United, Lionville, Continental FC, and West Chester United. His most recent coaching accomplishment was helping the West Chester United Men’s team achieve two national championships, one alongside his son Kyle.

Roger was a lifelong learner who constantly focused on reinventing himself to become the best he could be. He used to say “It’s all about the places you go, the people you meet, and the books you read”. He traveled across the United States and abroad, testing out many ski mountains, and exploring new towns. He loved spending time outside on quiet walks, enjoying bonfires with the neighborhood, attending trivia, listening to (and singing) music, and chatting with friends while enjoying a cold Manhattan. Roger was a self-proclaimed “introvert”, yet somehow was always the life of the party and enjoyed being connected to others and bringing them together. He was well on track to complete his goal of 50 books in 2024, living up to his personal mantra. Most recently, he challenged himself to become a long distance runner in his 60s, completing a 50k in England this past June crewed by his childhood friends.

An endlessly proud father, he never missed an opportunity to wholeheartedly support the endeavors of his children. His love and support frequently overflowed beyond his immediate family as he and Patti opened their home to many others over the years. He became a pillar of his community, loved and cherished by all he encountered.

Roger’s legacy lives on through his wife of 36 years, Patti and his four children, Kyle who plays professional soccer for the Philadelphia Union ii, Jacqueline who is currently an otolaryngology-head and neck surgery resident at the University of Minnesota, Blake who is completing his anesthesia residency at Jefferson and Jessica, who is Assistant Vice President of Fulfillment Operations at Safelite (as Roger would say, “Mic-Drop”). Across the pond, his memory lives on through his sisters Lyn Wakely and Cynthia Sheppard, Aunt Marilyn Finden Tucker, and many beloved nieces, nephews, extended family and friends. 

The Tucker Family is raising funds to start a Memorial Fund managed by the Chester County Community Foundation in memory of Roger.  The Fund will continue his impact in the community supporting endeavors such as local eduation, sports and reading.  In lieu of flowers, please make a donation using Venmo or Zelle  @RogerTuckerMemorial if you feel so inclined. Checks can be mailed to: Jessica Tucker at 770 Junipero Avenue, Long Beach California 90804 and made out to Jessica Tucker with "Roger Tucker Memorial Fund".

Online condolences can be made at www.rstrunkfuneralhome.com.