Anne Rucker

Anne Hazelton Rucker 1925-2017 Anne was born in Orland, California to Earl and Lilah Hazelton. Anne's birthday on December 7th became better known as Pearl Harbor day on her sixteenth birthday. Anne always felt strong admiration for her many classmates at Orland High and those in her generation who sacrificed and postponed so much in their personal lives to defend their country in World War Two. Anne graduated from Orland High School in 1942 and went on to graduate from Stanford University with a Bachelor's degree in psychology. Anne began her career in education after returning home to help her family during the post war years in Orland. Working on an emergency credential, she taught fourth grade to fill in during a teacher shortage. She found that she loved teaching and later chose to return to Stanford where she earned both her teaching credential and then her Master's degree in counseling. Anne worked for the next 40 years as a teacher and a high school guidance counselor. Anne was instrumental in developing the original implementation of the Regional Occupation Program in Glenn County schools. Anne directed many school plays, coordinated and hosted many foreign exchange students in the American Field Service and made many lifelong friends of students, faculty and administrators. In 1951, while teaching in Porterville, California, she met a young civil engineer named Keith Rucker at a meeting of the Sierra Club. Keith was from Colorado and ended up teaching Anne and her young teacher friends how to snow ski. They fell in love and began their 64-year marriage a year later. Anne and Keith spent the rest of their lives working hard and playing hard. They enjoyed recreation including traveling, camping, skiing, boating, and RV'ing. They were avid sailboat racers on the lakes of northern California for many years. When Anne's father became ill in 1954, she and Keith returned to Orland where he took over management of the Hazelton Lumber Company and she continued her career in education. They both loved Orland and the Orland community and were active residents there for many years. Anne served on the Orland City Council in the 1980s and served two terms as Mayor. She later wrote that "this was an opportunity to give back to the little city that had been so generous to our whole family." In 1988 Anne and Keith sold the family business and began their retirement. They moved to the coast at Brookings, Oregon where they lived in their motorhome and then traveled in it across America, Mexico and Canada. They eventually returned and remodeled the family cabin at Lake Almanor and set up residence there for many more years. Eventually they grew weary of the snow and cold and moved to be near their family in Chico. During their retirement, they sailed "big boats" on San Francisco bay, traveled extensively, and enjoyed spending time with their children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and friends. Anne continued her public service duties by serving on the Board of Directors of the Lake Almanor Country Club and later as a volunteer advocate for people living in mobile home communities as an Assistant Regional Manager in the Golden State Manufactured Home Owners League. Anne died quietly and gracefully at home in Chico on February 2nd with her loving family surrounding her. Anne is survived by her husband Keith, son John (Marjorie) Rucker, daughter Jane (Al) Phillips, grandchildren Leanna (Dale) Glander, Peter (Kelsey) Rucker and Elizabeth Phillips, and great grandchildren Gabriella and Logan Glander. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Anne Rucker to the Orland Community Scholarship Association at P.O. box 1084, Orland CA 95963. Services will be held on Sunday, February 12, 1:00 p.m. at Brusie Funeral Home, 626 Broadway, Chico, CA.