Larry Tucker

Larry Tucker – June 27, 1935 to September 19, 2022

Dad was born June 27, 1935, at home in Cashmere, WA to Charles “Dan” and Mildred Tucker.  In the early 1940’s the family moved to the Big Hole Valley to live and work on the Fritz Walchly ranch.  His early education was at the West Fox school.  He loved the Big Hole where he learned to shoot, fish, hunt, and fly. In 1949 he started competition shooting with the junior shooters.  Dad learned to fly in Dillon under Dave McCauley.  He soloed and received his pilot’s license in May of 1958.

On October 18, 1958, he married Marian Nitzel and started his family with her girls, Dawn and Judy. The family moved to Anchorage, AK in April of the following year.  Their son, Danny was born October 31, 1960.  They were later divorced.

In 1963 he attended aircraft school in Seattle, WA.  He would go on to be a flight mechanic for Bardahl racing at Reno, NV. 

March 18, 1966, Dad married Dorothy Hennings and gained a daughter Karen. They welcomed Kathy into the family in 1967.  In 1971 they moved to Paine Field in Everett, WA where he was the caretaker of the airfield.  Both Dad and Mom were members of the Civil Air Patrol.  Dad was a pilot and Mom a radio operator. 

Dad moved the family to the family ranch near Wisdom, MT.  Son, Timothy and daughter, Sara were welcomed in 1973 and 1975.

After our folks divorced, Dad moved to Corvallis where the altitude agreed with him more.  Here he enjoyed daily visits to his new family at The Coffee Cup, and all his shooting buddies from the Whittecar Rifle and Pistol Club.

Dad worked as a mechanic, a logger, raced snowplanes and snowmobiles, built roads, mined for gold, and owned and operated Tucker’s Conoco in Wisdom.  There wasn’t a piece of heavy equipment he couldn’t operate.  He built and flew airplanes and model R/C airplanes. He shot competitively all his life with rifles, pistols, and shotguns.  He loved to fish, especially in Alaska and always looked forward to hunting for elk with his kids and friends.

He is preceded in death by his parents, stepfather Fritz, son Danny, brother Dan and sister-in-law Shirley, sister Carolyn, granddaughter Amanda and his best friend George “Chief” Buckman.

He will be deeply missed by our Mom, Dorothy of Helena; children - Karen (Jim) Contreras of Ballard, WA, Kathy (Dean) Wise of Wisdom, Timothy (Kate) Tucker of Great Falls and Sara Lum of Helena: grandchildren – Bradley, Jared, Deanna, Cody, Carson, and Garrett: and great grandchildren – Aiden, Lyra, and Damion; and his bonus children Dawn and Judy and their families.

To honor his memory, we invite anyone who would like to join us for a cup of coffee, pie and sharing tall tales about Dad at either The Coffee Cup, 500 S 1st Street in Hamilton on Saturday, October 15th at 1:30 pm or in Wisdom on Sunday, October 16th at 11:30 in Wisdom at the Wisdom Community Building.  

In lieu of flowers we ask that donations be made to the Whittecar Rifle and Pistol Club, PO Box 2038, Hamilton, MT 59840 or to a charity of your choice.  Condolences may be left for the family at www.dalyleachchapel.com.  

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