Lawrence W. Rucker; Former United Way Chairman, Rights Activist

Lawrence W. Rucker, 58, first black chairman of a Greater Los Angeles United Way regional board of directors. A retired procurement director for the National Agency for Space Administration at Edwards Air Force Base, Rucker was an active volunteer for Antelope Valley youth concerns and a champion of student rights and racial equality in schools. The father of six was president of the Antelope Valley Union High School District board of directors, a board member of the Lancaster YMCA, and coach of baseball, football and basketball teams. In Lancaster on Wednesday of cancer.