I only had the privilege of meeting Rucker once, but I will never forget his kindness. 

Our family was visiting Wilson Field.  My son was an incoming freshman recruit for the Wildcats & I was a nervous mom, worried about sending him halfway across the country to attend Davidson.  From just a short conversation, “Old Rucker” (as he jokingly referred to himself) eased my mind with his warmth & wit. I knew immediately that my son already had a family at Davidson.   Rucker beamed with pride in his own son & for love of the game of baseball.  I’ll always be thankful for our brief meeting.  Such a special presence will be missed & not forgotten!  Sending love in this time of loss.

Sincerely,  Hope Wille & Family

When I think about Rucker Taylor, I think about a man that was all about others. He was humble yet the opposite of passive. He was Godly man with a heart for people from every walk of life and sought them out with intention, always looking to equip them to become better men, fathers, husbands, ball players and followers of Jesus.

Mr. Rucker really started investing and mentoring me when I was in middle school, and from that point on, he became a guiding force in my life. He would write me handwritten notes to mark the start of each baseball and football season. He’d often grab me early in the morning before school and head to Waffle House. Rucker would ask tough questions, encourage me, speak truth, and then send me out better than I was before.

Watching him invest in me and mentor others, he was somehow and hilariously able to insert himself into conversations, stand way too close, tell people to “listen here big hitters,” stick his finger in your chest, and make fun of you while telling you to do better — and people always left encouraged and knowing that Rucker cared about you and your success.

I’ve seen the ripple effect of his life in countless others who were shaped and lives altered because of his investment. I called him Coach Ruck, because he was a coach in life. I will miss that man, and I pray I can carry his legacy forward. He lived out the call God placed on his life with passion, purpose, and love. 

Mr. Rucker made peoples’ lives better, simply put. The saying stands true with Mr. Rucker, “People remember you by how you make them feel.” You always felt better after a conversation with Mr. Rucker. His speech was full of life, charisma, and enthusiasm. He didn’t believe in “small talk”. He was intentional, and he had pure intentions. He was an encourager and mentor for me in high-school and college baseball, business, and in spiritual life (approx. 12 years). 

He invited me to church one morning to sit with him and Mrs. Ginger. When I arrived, he greeted me outside (they had already chosen their seats). We filled our cups with coffee, and I followed him in. There were probably 50 rows of seats he could have chosen from. As I followed him down the aisle, we passed all 50 rows of seats until we got up front. Front row! Smack in the center! In a congregation of 2,000 or more is where we sat! Mr. Rucker was a bold leader and boldly claimed his faith in Christ.  

In college, RTT would call on a Sunday afternoon or Monday morning, you never knew when his call would come. He would say, “Hey slugger, how’s my good buddy doing? By the way, uh, why on earth did you swing at that 3-2 breaking ball in the dirt, that was ball 4! But hot dog, I sure love that next at-bat!! 3-run shot over right field fence!! You are a stud!” The way he said things stood out, and you remembered it. Always sure to leave a smile on your face, he truly made an impact. A hall-of-fame legend in my book. 

Thank you for making our lives better RTT. You are the man! Now with the man!  

Proverbs 27:17 – Iron sharpens Iron, so one man sharpens another…

Mr. Rucker was my iron and became like a 2nd dad to me.

He took a chance on me in 2010 right out of college when I thought I knew it all. My baseball career was over and time to focus on a career. We met at the steak cook off for the first time and immediately bonded over baseball. When he found out I already accepted an internship with the firm, I soon realized I was going to be located in the Foley office working with him.

A prayer of mine since college has been to develop mentors in my life wiser than me to help me grow spiritually and professionally. People that I want my life to look like at the end of the journey. People that live for a higher purpose. People that will hold me accountable to the highest standard of a life for Christ. People that will push me out of my comfort zone. People that will challenge and make me better on all fronts so I can bless others. God blessed me tenfold by placing RTT in my life.

He was my first and only boss to ask me to bring my baseball glove to work to throw the ball around during lunch. He taught me business acumen and financials, but more importantly he taught me to keep faith at the core of it all. Public Accounting gets chaotic in the early spring, but he never allowed us to work a Sunday. 

He loved a good biscuit king biscuit and I remember the “real” maple syrup he would pull out of his desk drawer that he would always make me try. When the Biscuit King closed, we tried to scheme a business plan to reopen and I would be his boss (tables have turned! Did not pan out but we had fun scheming!). 

So many great memories and life lessons learned from this man. He had an infectious smile and genuine heart to serve people. I have been blessed by his friendship and can’t wait to toss the rock around again one day! Grateful for the legacy of faith he leaves behind and life lessons that I will never forget.

My friend Rucker!  It was 1985.  He was at S.F. Parker and I was at Poser Business Forms about to endure my first ever 401k audit.  Little did I know that that audit would end up being a 40 year friendship. 

Rucker was there for me throughout my career, the marriage of my daughters, the births of my six grandsons.  

Sports was in every conversation.  We ran into each other at basketball games where he would be watching his friends grandchildren play.  He was eager to know about the latest baseball games and offered coaching tips to pass on!  He genuinely cared!  

He stopped at the bank on occasion just  to visit.  He walked right through the bank lobby, straight up the “Employees Only” stairwell to my office.   Everyone knew Rucker was welcome!

He made me promise to wear a baseball hat while driving to and from work on Highway 32.  This was to make other road warriors think I was a man so I would be safe.  He was so thoughtful!

He called me once to tell me that he met the most beautiful woman at the gas station pump in Daphne.  A random conversation led to the discovery that the beautiful woman was my daughter!  He brought so much joy to life!

I heard the most wonderful stories of Ginger and “Little Rucker”.   I never met them but I knew them through Rucker.  He was so thrilled to welcome Victoria to the family and he was over the moon to welcome Beau into his heart.   

I will forever be grateful for our friendship; for the many awesome memories.  I believe in my heart that Rucker will be standing at the gates to Heaven, with the biggest smile and will say, let me introduce you to all these great people!  You’re gonna love it here!

My 12-year-old son vividly remember meeting Rucker at a Davidson baseball game last spring. An interaction that reveals how Rucker made the world better through the little moments as well as the big ones:

 “He was the one who helped me get autographs from the players after the game. He was so nice! And even made sure that I said thank you and everything.”

The Taylors have been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. My memories of Rucker are filled with warmth—he was a man who truly loved his family, his friends, and life itself.

One of my favorite memories of him was at my sister’s wedding, about sixteen years ago. My oldest child was around three, and the youngest had just turned one—though I might be a little off on the ages. Like most young kids at weddings, they were having a hard time staying quiet and still.

That’s when Rucker swooped in. He picked up the little one and took him outside. From that moment on, the two were inseparable for the rest of the day. They danced, played, and had the best time together. It was such a simple act, but it spoke volumes about the kind of person Rucker was—kind, joyful, and full of heart.

He had a big heart, and I know his absence will be deeply felt. We're praying for your family during this time. And I like to think that right now, Rucker is up in heaven, flashing that big smile and telling St. Peter, “War Eagle.”

Rucker “Big Hitter” Taylor

As we celebrate the extraordinary life of Rucker Taylor III—a man who made the world brighter, kinder, and significantly more fun, just by being in it. It’s hard to sum up a life as full and rich as Rucker’s. 

Rucker was the kind of man you don’t just meet—you remember. His presence was strong and steady, like the crack of a baseball bat on a summer afternoon. He loved the game—at every level—but nothing lit up his face quite like watching son, Rucker, play and later coach. He wasn’t just in the stands; he was in every pitch, every swing, every call from the dugout. Baseball was the language of bonding in the Taylor home, but it was always clear that his favorite team was the one made up of Ginger and Rucker IV and now Victoria and Beau.

Ginger—his beloved wife and greatest teammate—described him with words that paint a portrait of a rare and remarkable man. She said he loved the Lord, and he lived that love not with loud words but with quiet and steady faithfulness. He loved her and his family so well—in ways big and small, every single day. Rucker was a phenomenal father and a recent grandfather; he didn’t just show up for the big moments in his family and friends’ lives—he showed up for all of them. 

He was a faithful friend; he was a role model without ever announcing himself as one. He was dependable, honest, trustworthy, and walked through life with a servant’s heart and inner strength. 

And oh—that smile. That smile could disarm the grumpiest neighbor, brighten the darkest day, and if you were ever on the receiving end of one of Rucker’s big grins? You immediately felt loved.

He had a great sense of humor, too—a quick wit, a keen eye for the absurd, and a gentle way of poking fun that never left a bruise. He’d laugh at himself, laugh with you, and occasionally, laugh at you…but only if you really deserved it.

As a friend, he was always investing his time and energy in the lives of others. He didn’t just talk about making the world better—he did it, one genuine conversation, one favor, one act of kindness at a time.

In many ways, Rucker lived like a coach himself—calling out the best in others, cheering us on, and pulling us up when we struck out. He lived fully, loved deeply, and gave freely.

We grieve because a man like Rucker “Big Hitter” Taylor III leaves a space that no one else can fill. But we also give thanks because we got to walk beside him, laugh with him, be loved by him.

And if there’s a dugout in heaven, I like to think he’s already there wearing a cap, watching the action, cheering us on, and flashing that big smile.

Thank you, Rucker. We will carry your legacy with us—on and off the field.

Love this guy! His impact in my and my families lives can never be measured.