Queen Tucker was born on February 9th, 1966 at her home located at 515 Sunset Drive in Decatur. “I was stillborn,” she said. “You must have had a praying midwife,” I replied. “That’s exactly right! I had a praying midwife, and she knew just what to do. And here I am!” she said back with a chuckle.
Miss Queen went to Austin High, had various jobs as a cashier, a “salad girl” at the Burning Tree Country Club in Decatur, and eventually became a data entry specialist. She has two boys, Eric and Edward, and her grandkids are named Erin, Haniah, Maurice, (also known as MJ,) and Lem.
“I had God fearing parents, and they were good people. They knew the Lord, and raised me the best,” she said proudly. Her faith is fierce, and her light shines brightly. She is recovering from a stroke, and is one of the younger residents at Athens Rehab and Senior Care. As is the case with many residents when they first arrive, she says, “I didn’t want to be here.” It certainly is a shock to leave one’s own home and learn to live in a community that you didn’t exactly choose, and she has since come to the place where she feels right at home and in the middle of the will of the Lord. “Now I’m just chillin’ with everybody,” she says, and her favorite phrase is “let go and let God.” “I have a gift of encouragement, and if this is where I am supposed to use it, that’s fine with me.”
She went on to tell me some of her “faves.” Favorite colors? Pink, rose, and fuchsia. Favorite foods? Mac and cheese, turnip greens, fried chicken and hot water cornbread. She schooled me thoroughly on how to make hot water cornbread. I could tell she knows her way around the kitchen.
Favorite song? “I’m Satisfied With Jesus.” Favorite book? “The Bible. It’s the roadmap for my life,” she said. She likes Bill Cosby, and I told her how I remembered the first time he was on the Ed Sullivan Show in 1964. I had never laughed so hard in my life. Other favorite actors are Harrison Ford, Steven Segal, Tommy Lee Jones, and Denzel Washington. Female singer/actresses included Whitney Houston, Diahann Carroll and Dianna Ross. Favorite President? Barack Obama. “We finally have an African American President, and it made history,” she said. “It proves that anybody can be anything they want if they work hard and put their mind to it,” she added.
She has no end of good things to say about the staff at Athens Rehab and Senior Care. “They love, have compassion, and take care of the needs of the patients,” she says. “There are good nurses, good people, and I give them an A. They are #1,” she added. Miss Queen loves to laugh and tease folks, and she fits right in with the humor of the activities staff. “They crazy,” she said, laughing.
She had lots of advice for young people, but to me the best was, “Whatever you decide to do, listen to your parents, and most important, listen to the Lord. You can be anything, so don’t look back, look ahead.”
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
