Two influential Kentuckians are being remembered for their profound dedication to preserving and serving their communities—Berniece Terry Hiser, a prolific Appalachian folklorist who launched her writing career at 70, and Jerry Tucker, co-founder of a groundbreaking ministry for vulnerable childr en in Casey County. Hiser (1908-1995) was born in Cow Creek, Owsley County, where her father was among the last surviving Kentucky veterans of the Spanish-American War. She earned degrees from Berea College and the University of Kentucky before teaching for 22 years in Kentucky and Indiana schools. Yet her most enduring legacy emerged after retirement, when she published her first book at age 70. “Quare Do’s in Appalachia: East Kentucky Legends and Memorats” became a collection of folktales, ghost stories, and family tales that earned recognition from Appalachian Journal and Kentucky Folklore Record. Eight years later, she published a children’s book set during the Civil War, “The Adventure of Charlie and His Wheat-straw Hat”. Over her lifetime, Hiser authored approximately 50 manuscripts including poems, folklore collections, and romances, and served as an expert in folk remedies, folk singing, dulcimer picking, and mountain weaving. Tucker, who died April 28 at age 85, spent his life embodying sacrificial service alongside his wife, Sandy. The couple founded the Galilean Home in 1974 as an outreach for abused and severely handicapped children, serving more than 2,000 individuals without any government funding. The Galilean Home currently operates with about 35 residents, a private school, and a restaurant and gift shop. President George H.W. Bush recognized Tucker’s work in 1992 through his Points of Light program. Quincy Burt, who came to the Galilean Home as a child in 1989 and later worked closely with Tucker, credited the founder’s influence with shaping his own commitment to service. “I can attribute my lifetime of finding ways to serve vulnerable children and families to how he almost never said no when someone needed help,” Burt reflected. Burt now serves as Development Director for Orphan Care Alliance in Louisville, carrying forward the legacy of compassion Tucker exemplified. Both Hiser and Tucker demonstrated that meaningful contribution to one’s community transcends age and circumstance—whether through meticulous documentation of disappearing mountain traditions or through daily acts of sacrificial care for society’s most vulnerable members. This article was generated by AI (claude-haiku-4-5-20251001) based on source material from NKY Tribune, enriched with 2 web searches. The original source is available at https://nkytribune.com/2026/05/kentucky-by-heart-berniece-hiser-was-prolific-nky-author-who-started-late-in-life-remembering-jerry-tucker/. The post Hiser, Tucker exemplified service through writing, compassion appeared first on The Lexington Times. ...read more read less