Eddie Pearl Drew Rucker

Our beloved Mother, Grandmother, Great-Grandmother, Aunt, Sister and friend peacefully slipped away from us on August 29th, 2025, at her home in Austin, Texas-just three months shy of her 91st birthday. She is now in the loving arms of God, after living a life of quiet strength, dignified grace and compassionate wisdom.

Pearl was born Eddie Pearl Drew on November 24, 1934, in Nacogdoches, Texas, to Roberta (Burton) Drew and Reverend Edmond Drew. She was the middle child of three children which included her predeceased older brother (Enos) Brian Drew and her surviving younger sister Willie Jean (Drew) Mangram. She graduated as valedictorian of her class at E. J. Campbell High School in Nacogdoches and matriculated to Talladega College, which is the oldest private historically Black liberal arts college (HBCU) in Alabama.

She is a member of the Chi Chapter of the AKA Sorority of Talladega, andgraduated in 1956 with a major in education. She met and married Ernest WilburRucker of Austin,
and they started a family. She was a faculty member at the Denneshota Boarding School in Arizona, and then at the Stewart Indian School near Carson City, Nevada. She went on to earn a Masters degree from Northern Arizona University in Flagstaff, Arizona while employed with the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

After retiring, she continued to work as a preschool teacher in both California and then in Austin.She loved catching up with her family with the evening phone calls, playing the piano with her brother and friends, social dancing, and traveling with family. One of her most adventurous family trips was to Italy.

She will be dearly missed by her children: son John Rucker of Austin, daughters Sheila Dawn Egbuonye and Ernesta Steele- both of Manor, her son-in-law Victor Egbuonye; her grandchildren Nwando (Egbuonye) Clyburn, Uju Egbuonye, Chinyelu Egbuonye, TeraLynn Steele and Drew Steele; her grandson-in-law Thomas Clyburn; as well as her great- granddaughter, Nyla Clyburn.

She will also live on in the hearts of her loving sister, (Willie) Jean Mangram formerly of Dallas, Texas, and her many nieces and nephews, grandnieces and grandnephews, as well as many other friends and family members.

Ms. Pearl Rucker was a selfless, patient, giving person whose impact will be forever felt
by her family, who love her dearly. Her passing leaves an unfilled gap in the hearts of all who knew and loved her. As she was a long-time member of St. James’ Episcopal Church, the family is deeply grateful for the church's prayers and support over the years.