Samantha Tucker is an artist.
She originally planned to work for Pixar Animation Studios, but it turned out that life had other plans. Tucker is currently assistant editor for the Daily American Republic and the Dexter Statesman.
Originally from the rural Paris, Illinois, area, Tucker grew up on a farm and was home-schooled. And though her Pixar dreams didn’t come to fruition, she maintained her focus on art. That focus led her to The Prairie Press in her hometown, where she started work as a graphic designer. Once again, however, the universe seemed to have other plans.
The Prairie Press is a weekly publication that employed Tucker’s grandmother MaryAnn Tucker decades ago, then Tucker and eventually her brother Robby, who currently works there in management. It would appear the familial stake in the publication pulled Tucker from graphic design into the world of print journalism.
“I get a lot of satisfaction out of telling stories that matter and engaging with people in organizations in the community,” Tucker explained.
Tucker excelled as a writer at the Illinois newspaper and within a few years she was offered the opportunity to join the team at the Daily American Republic. Since 2021, she has earned professional accolades and awards from the Missouri Press Association and has also launched a popular daily series named “Dash to the Past.” The series dives into past editions of the DAR and other publications from the region going back as far as 100 years.
“Once our public library digitized so many volumes of papers, I started browsing and looking back at what happened,” she explained. “The Prairie Press did something similar to that, and that provided inspiration for me.”
Though she has been flourishing in the world of journalistic writing, she hasn’t abandoned her passion for art. She illustrated a children’s book in 2020 and is working on a second.
Tucker moved to Poplar Bluff in 2021 and said she has thoroughly enjoyed engaging with its history and people.
“I have also been blown away by the natural beauty in this area as well,” she noted.
Tucker enjoys reading, drawing, and crochet, and directs plenty of attention to the three cats in her home.
“They are my reason for getting up in the morning,” she laughed. “Because they need to be fed. There is no snooze button for that.”