November 11, 1933–January 11, 2025
Thomas E. Tucker entered heaven on January 11, 2025, in Naples, Florida. He was born on November 11, 1933, in Johnson City, Tennessee, to Edgar M. Tucker and Jane Grace White Tucker. Tom lived a full life, marked by ingenuity, dedication, and service to others.
While Tom was still very young, following his mother’s death, his aunt (his mother’s sister, Myra Winters White) moved into the home and cared for Tom and his younger sister. Several years later, Myra married their father, Ed, and fully invested her life in raising and loving Tom and Carolyn as her own. They later moved to Columbia, S.C., where Tom remained until he finished college.
Tom was an able student and, from an early age, he enjoyed learning. However, while still in grade school, he had a lengthy bout of rheumatic fever that kept him home in bed for many weeks. During his recovery, despite the boredom he experienced, he learned to entertain himself and spent much time creating games, reading, and writing stories. Those creative skills served him well for the rest of his life. During high school, Tom developed an interest in photography; he used that talent as an amateur personal and wedding photographer to earn income. He continued that hobby for many years, creating family Christmas cards and applying his talent in church settings.
While in college, Tom worked as an engineer at the local radio station WIS. There, he met and fell in love with Mary Nan McElrath, the station’s music director. They married on January 28, 1955, a few months before he graduated.
Tom earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of South Carolina in (1955) and began his career working for General Electric in Columbia.
After the birth of their first child, Michael, Tom accepted a position at Kearfott in New Jersey. Following their daughter, Rebecca’s, birth, he took a job offer with General Electric and returned to Columbia, S.C., until 1965. He was transferred to Huntsville, Ala., where he worked purchasing and supplying parts for NASA rockets. Tom had a distinguished tenure with General Electric, holding engineering, marketing, and executive roles in Downers Grove, Ill., Syracuse, N.Y., and Suffolk, Va. Notably, he played a key role in the GE/Hitachi (Japan) merger in the 1970s and also appeared alongside Milton Berle in a national television commercial to launch GE’s widescreen TV. He remained a faithful member of GE’s team until early retirement. After retiring from GE, Tom and his wife Nan McElrath Tucker (1932-1998) opened a MicroAge Computer Store franchise. They operated that store in Norfolk, Va., together from 1988-1993 before relocating to Nags Head, North Carolina; there, they purchased and operated The Big Dipper ice cream shop along with two other entrepreneurial adventures.
Tom was multi-talented and known for his extensive DIY skills in woodworking, home repairs, and auto maintenance. He enjoyed working on projects with his son Mike and daughter Rebecca, as well as later with his grandchildren. He enjoyed cooking and was known for his “tomlette” making, a skill which he proudly shared with his grandson, Chris.
A lifelong pet lover, Tom always shared his home with dogs or cats—many of them rescues.
Following Nan’s passing, Tom met and married Jean Solomon in 2001. During their years together, they traveled to Russia, hosted Russian students, enjoyed boating, were active at Thalia UMC, and had many adventures in the Tidewater area.
When Jean passed in 2007, at the surprising age of 74, Tom joined the online dating set and met Marilyn Lindsay Cotter on eHarmony. It was practically love at first sight and they were married in 2008. They had 15 happy years together traveling, serving at Central UMC, attending events at the Mathews Yacht Club, visiting family, planning and working on yard projects, visiting and supporting animal rescues, and fostering and adopting rescued pets.
A world traveler for business and pleasure, Tom visited Japan, Germany, Russia, France, England, Africa, Greece, and Mexico; additionally, he participated with Thalia UMC in a mission trip to Costa Rica. Wherever he lived, he was actively involved in his local church and was dedicated to serving the local communities. He enjoyed volunteering in the United Methodist Men and on various committees at St. Mark’s UMC (Columbia, S.C.), Aldersgate UMC (Chesapeake, Va.), Thalia UMC (Virginia Beach, Va.), and Central UMC (Mathews, Va.). He found delight in mentoring and training youth working with Junior Achievement, Lego Robotics teams, and hosting foreign exchange students. Alongside his “sugar doll” Marilyn, Tom was also actively involved in evaluating and procuring music groups for “Concerts by the Bay” in Mathews County, Va.
Tom was predeceased by his parents, Edgar M. Tucker and Jane Grace White Tucker; his stepmom, Myra Winters White Tucker; his sister, Carolyn White Tucker Thompson Dender; his wives, Mary Nan McElrath Tucker, Jean Solomon Tucker, and Marilyn Lindsay Cotter Tucker. He is survived by his son, Michael W. Tucker (Risa); his daughter, Rebecca T. Riggins (George); grandchildren, Emily C. Knowles, Rachel E. Baumgartner (Niels), Hannah M. Riggins, and Christopher M. Riggins (Kayla); and great-grandchildren, Lenora Knowles, Benaiah Knowles, and Gabriel Baumgartner. Tom is also survived by his niece, Jane Thompson Berman, and nephew, Brian E. Thompson (Kristin), and “bonus” children, Rob Allesee, John Allesee (Karen), and Bill Allesee (Joan).
Tom and his family deeply appreciate and express their gratitude for the attentive care he received as a resident of Story Point in Saline, Mich., and later, by his private duty caregivers in Naples, Fla. He enjoyed the companionship and care provided by Luz Ospina and her capable team until his last day on earth.
A graveside memorial service and interment will be held at Greenlawn Memorial Gardens in Chesapeake, Va., on May 3, 2025 at 1 p.m. All who knew and loved Tom are welcome to attend. May Tom’s memory bring joy to all who knew him.