We wish to pay our respects in memory of George Tucker Sr., who passed away March 13, 2004.
Born Feb. 4, 1917, George Tucker Sr. grew up during the
Great Depression. From that experience came a philosophy that one threw
away nothing. From that philosophy came a life-long penchant for tinkering, jury-rigging, and improvising solutions.
Indeed, he was a talented machinist from a young age and a master mechanic his entire adult life. His keen sense for deciphering mechanical problems made him a natural leader. He could always re-design missing pieces as needed and re-tool them to make them work.
We live in such a throw-away society we tend to forget about people of George’s caliber. His knowledge and skill for inventing and rebuilding equipment will never be surpassed. Now that the working knowledge held by men like George is gone, we, the surviving generations, have a great deal to be thankful for in having forefathers of his nature.
His sons and friends who knew him well greatly miss George. George had someday hoped to help with the restoration of a Farquhar Ajax threshing engine recovered by Steam Traction contributor Wayne Murphy, but that day never came. Instead, Murphy is dedicating the restoration
of his portable engine to the
memory of George Tucker Sr.
