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.

This article appears in September 27 • 2013.

A note to readers: Bold and uncensored, The Austin Chronicle has been Austin’s independent news source for over 40 years, expressing the community’s political and environmental concerns and supporting its active cultural scene. Now more than ever, we need your support to continue supplying Austin with independent, free press. If real news is important to you, please consider making a donation of $5, $10 or whatever you can afford, to help keep our journalism on stands.

SUPPORT US