Sister Margaret Eugene Tucker

Generous, welcoming, joy-filled

There are some people in this world who are just so genuine, so “down to earth” and so likeable that they stand out in your memory forever. S. Margaret Eugene was that kind of person. Even though she was … gifted intellectually, so well read that she could discuss anything with you, she was … kind and giving… likeable … willing to sit and “be” with you… approachable was so practical, had common sense and emoted JOY. Sister Kathleen Karbowski [funeral liturgy]

Edward and Mary Margaret (Frey) Tucker of East Peoria, Illinois, became parents of Mary Angelica on February 18, 1917. Edward (Bud) arrived next, followed eight years later by Elizabeth. They grew up on a farm with lots of fruit trees and were educated in a two-room elementary school and a small high school. As a freshman, Mary Angelica met the Sisters of St. Joseph who taught catechism on Sunday mornings. After staying home to help her family on the farm until she was 25, she entered the Sisters of St. Joseph September 15, 1942. She received the habit and the name Sister Margaret Eugene on March 19, 1943. Fontbonne College awarded her a bachelor’s degree in home economics/science (1955) and her master’s in education was from St. Louis University (1957). Science studies continued with biology (University of Notre Dame) and Earth science (St. Louis University).

Sister Margaret taught in elementary school at St. Vincent, St. Louis (1945); Valle, Ste. Genevieve, Missouri (1946); and St. Patrick (1947) and St. Matthew (1948-1953), both in Mobile, Alabama. After completing her degree at Fontbonne, she taught in St. Louis at St. Anthony High (1955) and St. Joseph’s Academy (1956-1960). In 1960, Sister Margaret began her 25 years at Fontbonne, serving as administrative staff and as faculty. Retiring from Fontbonne, Sister Margaret traveled to New Madrid/Portageville, Missouri, to be the school secretary at Immaculate Conception School (1985). At the request of the community, she took on the role of administrator at

St. Joseph’s Academy Convent (1986), serving there for 21 years until her retirement to Nazareth Living Center in 2007.

Sister Margaret Eugene’s ... disposition seemed always to include joy. She joyfully watched the birds at the bird feeders she maintained outside the community room windows. They were wonderful, colorful creatures which she could always name ... Always ready for a good conversation, Margaret read materials and shared experiences that enabled conversations which promoted community life and a greater sense of our place in the world, especially in making our world a better place. S. Ida Berresheim

Remembering when S. Margaret was in charge of a dormitory, S. Rosemary Flanigan described her as: Unflappable. I imagine all her life she was like that—calm, cool and collected. She loved having a good time and could find things to laugh about easily. She was a great lady!

Sister Margaret Eugene was an extremely talented woman … an excellent seamstress, a marvelous cook and menu planner, an avid birder, a gracious hostess and a meticulous record keeper. She loved to read and read everything—and remembered all of it. Because of this, she was a great conversationalist—always up to date on the latest news whether it was political, environmental or whatever. S. Jeanene Yackey

Sister Mary Charity Dalton shares, Sister Margaret Eugene … was always … interested in what was going on … she had a memory that awed me all the time I knew her … I could go to her to ask anything and she would be able to ‘pull it up.’

I will always remember some of the special strolls around the academy grounds with Sister Margaret Eugene … [She] could name every bird or bush, tree or weed on those treasured, very beautiful grounds! S. Barbara Volk

Sister Helen Oates