Preston Tucker’s Son Passes Away

John Richard Tucker passed away on Oct. 5, 2008, in Long Beach, Calif., from complications of a stroke. He was 78.

John Richard Tucker was born in Lincoln Park, Mich. on Aug. 31, 1930, to Preston Thomas and Vera (Fuqua) Tucker. He was the youngest of five children. He spent his early years in Lincoln Park, Memphis, TN and Indianapolis, IN. In 1939 the family moved to 110 North Park St, Ypsilanti, MI where his father Preston operated The Ypsilanti Tool & Die Co. During WWII, the company manufactured products for the war effort. John attended Gulf Port Military Academy. John enjoyed sports in high school especially golf which he played well all of his life. In 1947 Preston moved the family to Chicago to manufacture the Tucker Automobile, the subject of the 1988 movie, Tucker, The Man and His Dream. While in Chicago he met and married Mary Jane Dodman, daughter of Margaret and John Dodman. They returned to Ypsilanti where they had three children. He later married Launa Knight and had another son, T. Talbot.

John was Vice President of General Employment Corp. in Chicago and Los Angeles for many years and then owned and operated Jane Allen Professional Agency of Long Beach, CA. He enjoyed people and was a great storyteller. He loved talking about his childhood in Ypsilanti, the glory days of The Tucker Automobile and his family. He also enjoyed restoring classic boats. In his final years, he lived aboard his restored Hatteras yacht, which was docked at the Shoreline Marina in Long Beach, where he had many dear friends.

Donations can be made to the Tucker Automobile Club of America, 9509 Hinton Rd, Santee, CA 92071-2760; www.tuckerclub.org .