Before Google, There Was Ellie Rucker

Hardly a week after we put this year's "Best of Austin" issue to bed, we learned that one of our 1992 winners – popular consumer columnist Ellie Rucker – died Sept. 18 in San Antonio. She was 77. Rucker, the Austin American-Statesman's intrepid finder of answers to everyday questions, served as a pre-Internet search engine for curious readers for nearly 16 years until retiring in 1992. She was recognized that same year with a Chronicle award for Best Person to Ask About Finding Concrete Armadillos. A memorial service for Rucker was held Saturday in San Antonio.