October 18, 1935 – September 24, 2026
Life Story of Patricia Rickey Jones Tuecke
On October 18,1935, a tiny baby girl was born and offered up for adoption. Reverend Henry Rickey, a United Methodist minister and wife Nell adopted Patricia six months later. The couple also adopted a second child, a baby boy. They named him David. All three family members precede Patricia in death.
She is survived by husband Daniel Tuecke; son Rick Jones, his partner Susan Mueller and grandson Teddy; stepson Troy Tuecke and grandchildren Zach, Kayla, and Samantha; and stepson Eric Tuecke, his wife Tina and grandchildren Katy and Grace.
Patricia’s early years included frequent family moves. The United Methodist organization in the United States in those days operated with brief clergy placements. Therefore, her early schooling exposed her to a rich variety of teachers, different communities, and the practice of resettling, and making new friends quickly. Consistently, she proved to be an excellent student. Although she attended schools in many different places, she considered her happiest school days occurred in her last two years of high school in New Orleans, Louisiana. Upon graduation, she attended Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana and Hendrix College in Conway, Arkansas where she earned a B.A. in Psychology. She worked toward a Master’s degree in Christian Education while attending Southern Methodist University (SMU) in Dallas, Texas.
While at SMU, she married a divinity student J. T. Jones in 1955. The couple’s original ideas of their future changed as J. T. became disillusioned with his role in the church and turned to banking. The family grew with the birth of a son Rickey in 1963. Nevertheless, the marriage ended soon after Rickey’s birth.
However, J. T.’s mother Florence Jones supported Pat and Rickey in Oklahoma City, while Pat earned certification as a Montessori teacher at Oklahoma City University. Pat loved teaching and especially with Suzanne and Bill Parker at New World Montessori School. While in Oklahoma, she visited the Ecumenical Institute (EI) in Chicago, a center for innovative experimentation in early childhood education.
In the years 1966-1968, her interest in childhood education grew—so much so that she and Rickey moved to Chicago’s westside neighborhood campus and became part of the service staff of the Ecumenical Institute.
Their years with EI meant they experienced extensive travel and many different homes throughout the United States and world including Lake Bluff, Illinois; Rapid City; South Dakota; San Jose, California; Japan; Uptown Chicago, Illinois; and New Orleans, Louisiana.
On September 15, 1979, Patricia and Daniel Tuecke married in Chicago. Together they welcomed assignments to Hong Kong; Rome, Italy; Jakarta, Indonesia; and ultimately Houston, Texas.
Dan and Pat lived from 1986-1994 in San Francisco, California as the staff of the Ecumenical Institute and Institute of Cultural Affairs dispersed. In 1994, Kanbay Hong Kong offered Pat a job developing clients and teaching leadership skills in the Hong Kong area. She happily responded to this opportunity. They both left the USA intrigued again with challenging living and working in Hong Kong.
By 1997, work in Hong Kong had run its course and the Tueckes, after witnessing the Hong Kong “Hand Over” celebrations, resettled in Reno, Nevada, near colleagues with whom they had worked. Together the couples enjoyed sharing not-to-be-forgotten EI/ICA adventures and explored interesting places in and around the Sierra Nevada Mountains and Great Basin areas. Pat became active with local Democratic Party politics. She assisted with foundational facilitation training for what became the TOP Facilitation Network.
She also busied herself writing. She documented LENS International facilitation contracted with government defense labs transitioning into businesses in California. She contributed to numerous books and articles about methods and wisdom gleaned from work of the Ecumenical Institute and Institute of Cultural Affairs. And she remained a gracious listener and advisor when facilitators called with client issues to solve.
After Pat’s successful treatment for breast cancer, the Tueckes moved closer to Dan’s family near Portland, Oregon. Dan and Pat’s membership in VIVA Village allowed Pat to extend her living independently in Beaverton, Oregon after Dan’s health required 24-hour nursing care. Both experienced serious health issues which resulted in Dan, first and then Patricia, receiving care in separate assisted living facilities before her death.
No matter, when or where Patricia Rickey Tuecke showed up in this world, she came as reserved, gracious, and, without a doubt, prepared. She demonstrated repeatedly well-grounded wisdom and practices for effective teaching. She lived and moved within the practices and ethics of the Christian faith, alongside deep, universal spirituality.
Pat possessed a keen eye and flair for manifesting beauty in unexpected spaces. She brought that same creativity to building effective teams, creating meaningful symbols, and designing celebrations that refreshed and connected people.
She planned and prepared elegant meals on a shoestring for 600 to 1,000 guests, looked absolutely knock out gorgeous while doing so, and appeared at ease asking simply: “Next?”
A good laugh with Pat cured all kinds of ills. She understood hospitality not simply as welcoming people, but as accepting and celebrating every human life and the unique possibilities in each. Many who know and worked with Pat Tuecke remain grateful today that they had the privilege of standing close and witnessing this remarkable spirit woman.
Samples of Pat’s Writing:
- Mastering Sesson Ambience (2004) – Adapted as Chapter 5 in the IAF Handbook of Facilitation, Sandy Schumann (2005)
- Foundational Undergirding of ICA Methodology by Patricia Tuecke
Memories
Dear Colleagues, Dan, Rickey and extended family,
I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of our feisty, creative, intentional and always missional “Spirit Sister”, Patricia Jones Tuecke. I never had the privilege of being “assigned” to the same Religious House with Pat, but came to encounter her first at Chicago Centrum, and in other intersections like Area meetings at various spots around the world.
I first met Pat when she was a single Mom, mother of Rickey, whom she loved and cared for deeply. This was at the time (early 1980s) when the Women’s Movement was burgeoning, and Pat was one of the energizers who made this a priority for us in the Order. For that I will always give abundant thanks.
I loved keeping in touch, off and on, with Pat and her beloved husband, Dan, who brought her great joy and adventure, as well as mutual love and profound care.
May you, her immediate and extended (OE) family, find peace in remembering her life, so well lived. Grace, peace and love,
~~ Marilyn Crocker
My most indelible memory of Pat is the time there was a colleagues’ meeting in a retreat center near Minneapolis — must have been 1962 or 1963. We were asked if we would co-facilitate a meeting = after the meeting – exploring the idea of starting a professional association for facilitators. On our adjoining bunks in the women’s dorm we started talking about what we would do and we discovered that it was the first time for both of us that our colleagues had asked us to facilitate something!
The meeting went pretty well, and the gestation of what became (and still is) the International Association of Facilitators (IAF) was begun!
~~ Jo Nelson
Pat…a dearest of friends.
~~ Beret Griffith
Pat was rather beyond amazing, as a trainer, facilitator, thinker, creator of curriculum or event designs. We’ve lost another blessed one. May our memories support us in our grief.
~~ Sunny Walker
Dear Pat,
Such a unique and unrepeatable person. I remember the time at the ICA in Chicago when Lynn was preparing to marry Bill Edwards. A gaggle of women were gathered to help sew Lynn’s wedding dress. The fabric selected by Lynn was just luscious, a soft rose shade of shimmering silk satin. Pat was in charge, thankfully. The dress was a very tough sewing job, the expensive fabric was difficult to work with and oh, the endless buttons that needed to be sewed on in a perfect line. The dress was beautiful on Lynn. Thanks to Pat. Just one of the many miracles she created.
You are chosen. Loved by the Mystery. Dancing with the angels. Grace and peace,
~~ Jack and Louise Ballard
Respected Dan and Rickey,
Cyprian and I were a part of the community at 4750, North Sheridan, Chicago Thank you for sharing in the adventure of creating a more humane world. Pat moving on is something I am called to embrace with gratitude as this is the pattern of life. With deep respect and love,
~~ Mary D’Souza
Dear Dan,
We were sorry to learn of Patricia’s death. We never had the opportunity to work directly with her–only via meetings in Chicago or via email or dialogue correspondence. We give thanks for the gift of her life and her many leadership gifts and creativity. May her legacy of care and compassion be a source of comfort to you and to those whose lives she touched. Below is a reflection, “Sisters” which comes to mind when we think of Patricia and other “Sister” colleagues and friends–past and present. Grace and peace ~
~~ Carleton and Ellie Stock