Cristina Tucker Garner

ZEBULON – Cristina “Tina” Tucker Garner, 61, passed away unexpectedly on January 15, 2024. A native of Durham County, North Carolina, she was the daughter of Yvonne Tucker and the late Clyde Tucker.

Cristina was a loving daughter, wife, mother, and sister. She will be remembered fondly by her family and friends as a woman of great compassion and strength.

Cristina attended Northeastern High School in Elizabeth City, NC. She also attended North Carolina Wesleyan University, graduating in 1984. She worked for the City of Raleigh as a procurement specialist for 12 years after 8 years at the town of Zebulon.

On September 21,1985, she married the love of her life and best friend, Benjamin Garner, and they spent 41 memorable years together. We had so many wonderful memories of times together with friends, camping, traveling when we could and doing projects together. We first met through a mutual friend who came by my home with her one day and we literally fell in love at first sight. There were many struggles over the 41 years we were together, but I cherish our time together, and always will.

She was known for her famous hugs; a gift she shared with everyone she could. You could recognize Tina anywhere she went by her effusive laughter. Her love of gardening was clear to all who saw the flowers bloom around her home every spring. Never one to sit still, she enjoyed many hobbies such as wreath making and cross stitch, which allowed her to give to those she loved.

Throughout the many challenges she faced in life, Cristina strove to help those around her. She had a passion for spreading joy, helping people feel accepted, and comforting those who were hurting. If you ever met Tina, you most likely met a friend forever. She loved life and friends tremendously but as her illnesses progressed, it took a lot more of her time and energy.

In addition to her father, Cristina is preceded in death by her daughter, Stephanie Garner whom Cristina loved very dearly.

Cristina is survived by her mother, Yvonne Tucker; her loving husband, Benjamin Garner; daughter, Brenna Garner Reinhard (husband Joshua Reinhard); sister and best friend, Teresa Payne (husband John Payne); brothers, Tom Tucker (wife Nancy Hritz), Mike Tucker (wife Sandy Tucker), and Eric Tucker (wife Raquel Tucker).

A memorial service will be held on Saturday, February 3rd, at 2:00 pm, at Saint Andrews United

Methodist Church, 1201 Maxwell Dr, Raleigh, NC 27603. Private family inurnment will precede at Montlawn Memorial Park, 2911 S. Wilmington St., Raleigh, NC 27603.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Cristina’s memory to Saint Andrews United Methodist Church at https://www.saintandrewsumc.org and/or American Diabetes Assn. at https://diabetes.org/ways-to-contribute, (Donations can be directed to juvenile diabetes research)