Larry Eugene Tucker

Larry Eugene Tucker, 80, of Desloge, MO, formerly of Des Arc, MO, passed away Saturday, October 1, 2022, at Mercy Hospital Jefferson, Festus, MO. Larry was born October 26, 1941, at Madison, IL, to parents Elias Wiley and Wilma Lee (Knuckles) Tucker.

The Tucker family moved to Des Arc in Larry's youth. They began a sawmill and for many years the mill was a big part of Larry's life. He had worked the mill and helped his family until he graduated college. He graduated Des Arc High School with the class of 1959. He was a great basketball player and Flat River Junior College offered him a scholarship to play. After leaving Flat River he earned his bachelors in education from Southeast Missouri State. His first teaching assignment was at South Iron at Annapolis, MO. He taught there from 1963-1965. In the fall of 1965, he worked at Twillman Elementary School in the Hazelwood school district. In late 1965 he began his new career that would last decades. He went to work for USIS_OPM with the United States government. This career would span nearly forty years and took Larry to many parts of the United States from Chicago, IL, to Augusta, GA, and various places in between. Larry never forgot his first investigation or his last. He retired in 2003 and started with his bucket list. In 2007, he and his wife Sue went to China and visited the Great Wall, a longtime dream. Larry Had a major stroke in 2008, which he mostly recovered from. Larry and Sue were married on June 5, 2009, and they traveled a lot seeing more than twenty countries. He was a lifetime member of the ERA and he was a Kentucky Colonel. Larry's last few years were not easy, he suffered from heart failure, diabetes, and end stage renal failure which took all his strength, and he could no longer fight. He fought a hard fight and now he is at peace.

Visitation was held Tuesday, October 4, 2022, from 2:00-3:30 pm, at Ruegg Funeral Home, Piedmont, MO. Funeral service followed at 3:30 pm, also at Piedmont chapel. Burial was at Mountain View Cemetery, Des Arc, MO. Rev. Mike Harrison ministered to the family. Dustin Stidmon, Dylan Hendrix, Larin Burchard, and Logan Stidmon served as pallbearers. Online condolences can be made at www.rueggfuneralhomes.com

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