At heart, Veronica Tucker has always been a Unity student. Before coming to Unity Church of Clearwater in 2007, she had attended the Unity Temple in New Orleans, but her Truth search began much earlier. At age 12, she shared a religious disillusionment with her beloved Papa: “I can read Bible stories myself, and the King James version isn’t doing it for me.” Her father listened quietly and within a week presented her with a cherished gift, The Living Bible.
Also, at age 12, Veronica was suspended from active duty at her church. She and her peers were planning a youth activity when an adult church stalwart assumed control. This did not set well with the strong-willed pre-teen, and, although she was urged to apologize (“you don’t have to mean it, just say it”), Veronica refused. Four years later when she left to attend business school in busy, cosmopolitan Kingston, she followed her mother’s advice to search for a church of like minds where she could find fellowship.
Born in Trelawny, Jamaica, Veronica was the fifth of eight children, a curious child who recalls valuable lessons learned from her maternal grandmother, Nana, a woman ahead of her time. Veronica was only 8 when she realized that death was nothing to fear. A patient in a children’s ward but without a serious illness, she interacted with the nurses, especially at night when other children were sleeping. One night during an emergency she was asked to hold a light for nurses administering to a dying patient. She saw the woman take her last breath but was unafraid because “death and dying are a part of life in Jamaica, and we discuss them openly, easily.”
A student at the Commercial Academy in Jamaica, Veronica fell in love with the concept of the computer. She studied accounting and learned to do payroll, bank reconciliation and trust fund management. Both of her sons have strong technological experience. Neil is a technical writer who wrote the first manual for Windows 7, and Sean is a computer programmer.
In Clearwater, Veronica took extended care courses to manage an ALF and a CNA course with the American Red Cross. “I had no idea why I was going down that path. Later, it became clear,” she says. For several years she worked as a nursing home caregiver, and she is ever grateful for that experience.
In 2000, Veronica started a home-based internet business, later extended with a travel agent franchise through Cruise Planners – American Express. She qualifies travelers and often goes on familiarization voyages and inspects refurbished ships. The travel industry involves a different but important service which she enjoys tremendously.
Veronica calls the ministry and music at UCC “fantastic.” “When I met Leddy, I knew that I was in for some radical perspective on how to see things differently.” I feel safe at Unity and value my fellowship with Leddy and others on this journey of self realization.”