Jacqueline Tucker

Jacqueline Katherine Tucker 10/22/1926-12/02/2025

Jacqueline (Jacque) Katherine Tucker was a Beautiful Person and a Christian Warrior who defines GIRL POWER and "SISTA"hood... and she made the world a better place for many people for 99 years. Jacque Tucker was a self-made woman, never married, no children, and she (herself) wrote most of this accounting of her life, and as her good friend, later in her life, I am honored to finish a final tribute to her with all the love in my heart, and respect that she is due:

With her family heritage from the Black Forest area of Germany, she was born in Louisville, KY, October 22nd 1926. Jacque had one sibling who was three years older, Jerome Jerry Tucker , who lived with his wife Mary in the Tucker family home for over 60 years. This original home on Texas Street is still in the Tucker family making this a legacy property for four generations and well over 100 years. Their father, Fred, passed away in 1935 when Jacque was 8 yrs old, and her mother, Frances (maiden name "Petzold") , worked as a strong single mother and role model to young Jacque for many years at Sears Roebuck to support her children. Jacque's first "boyfriend" was in 2nd grade, and his name was Jimmy Tucker (no relation) Her brother joined the Navy (WWII) when she was 13 yrs old, and Jacque "took over" his bicycle route delivering Liberty Magazines.

Jacque vividly remembered how tough times were during The Great Depression, as their family had to rent out the only bedroom in the house to make ends meet, while her family members slept on cots in the dining area. At age 14 she started working nights at Sears, and somewhere along the way she taught herself to play the violin and joined the school orchestra. When she was age 15, she dropped out of Atherton High School to work full time as a typist/stenographer at Liberty Insurance Company, and finished high school at Ahrens Night School in 1945.

Then, she worked as a Secretary/Assistant to Dr. Burkhead, who was an Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat Specialist, until he moved his practice out of town. For 5 years she was a Secretary to Leo Steiden, V.P. of Steiden Stores (merged with Winn-Dixie). It was during this time period that Ms. Tucker lived at the Business Women's Club in downtown Louisville, and found Jesus Christ as her Savior, joined Walnut Street Baptist Church, was baptized, taught Sunday School, and joined the church choir.

In 1951, Jacque felt led to accept a position on the staff of Florence Crittenden Home in Nashville, TN, as Assistant Director. At the time, it was a home for unwed pregnant girls, and Jacque filled in often as a nurse too. While there, she attended Peabody College part time and also pursued music endeavors. Jacque loved music her entire life and played violin, guitar, and ukulele, and loved many types of music, especially Christian hymns and organ music. "Minnie Pearl" of the Grand Ole Opry and Grinder's Switch performed at their parlor many times, and once even invited the girls to her personal residence for a picnic. HEE-HAW!

In 1953, when the girls home closed, she packed all her worldly goods and drove to California in a second hand Ford, heeding the call "Go West, young woman", and found a job with Norton Abrasives Company as Executive Secretary to the West Coast District Manager, adding to her grit from 1953-1961. Money was very tight at many times in her life, and for several months she stayed with friends, Ida and Terry Landis, until getting her own apartment in Huntington Park. She maintained that position for 8 years while attending Los Angeles State College at night and earned her B.A. in Business Education.

In 1961, Ms. Tucker began a 30 year teaching + administration career with L.A. City Schools where she earned her nickname, "Tuffy Tucker". She worked and lived during a period of great unrest in the black community resulting in many riots in the mid 60s. In the summer of 1968, Jacque and a friend drove throughout New England and parts of Canada on a memorable adventure. In 1969 she went on a Sabbatical Leave for "educational travel", flew to Europe, picked up a VW in Germany , and drove throughout Europe for four months winding up in Paris for Christmas.

Returning to Van Nuys HS teaching and working as Dean of Girls part time, she attending USC at night, Jacque received her Master's Degree in 1971 and took the other half of her Sabbatical in Mexico learning more Spanish, and traveling throughout the southern hemisphere. As her career allowed her to travel every summer, her passports over her life have been totally filled by the stamps of countless countries across the world, memories of travel adventures, and friendships made for life. Jacque was a teacher, vice principal, and principal at various schools in Los Angeles until retiring in 1990, when her beloved staff decided to give her a retirement gift of an expense paid trip (of course)... to Australia, which she took in 1991. This trip also doubled as a reunion with a childhood friend and pen-pal, Douglas Clark, who lived in Tazmania. It was amazing to reconnect after losing contact during World War 2.

After retiring, she moved to the sunny east county area of San Diego, CA, to a beautiful patio home overlooking the Singing Hills Golf Course in a hilled canyon area of El Cajon ( now part of the Sycuan Indian Casino and Resort). In 2003, Jacque was welcomed into the women's sorority, P.E.O. (Philanthropic Educational Organization), where she made "Friends and Sisters for life" . Ms. Tucker became an accomplished Bridge player over the years in San Diego too, and was part of an "infamous" band of women who called themselves the Thelma and Louise Group. Jacque was also very involved with her BSF Group (Bible Study Fellowship) which was a 7 year intensive study of the Bible. Jacque Tucker continued her world-wide traveling into her twilight years with many of these trips with one of her best friends, Norma Simpson. It would also be silly not to mention how many red hats Jacque Tucker had for all her Red Hat Lady's Club events too. My Mom and Dad (Jeff and Gayle Marsh) embraced Jacque like family over many years with many activities and holidays shared together. Eventually, Jacque transitioned to the retirement community of wonderful people at Mt. Miguel Covenant Village, aka: Covenant Village of Mt. Miguel. At this location she enjoyed many of the activities, including each year marching in the July 4th parade with the community ukulele band. Jacque was also a lifelong member of the NRA, and had her own firearm for many years. It is unknown if she ever used it , other than for target practice, but I would feel sorry for any poor soul who tried to take her purse.

Jacque Tucker often expressed how blessed she was by the Lord, and her sincere gratitude and appreciation for her many wonderful and loyal friends. Shadow Mountain Community Church and Dr. David Jeremiah were very dear to her heart. She is survived by her blood relatives including Jerry Tucker, Kathy Taylor, Joan Purvis, and Diane Duffy. "You don't have to share the same blood to be family", and this is how I will always think and feel about the incredible woman, Jacque Tucker .
"Some" of the countries traveled throughout her life, in no particular order: Canada, Mexico, Germany, France, Turkey, Greece, Guatemala, The Balkans, Scandanavia, Thailand, Switzerland, India, China, Thailand, Ireland, Scotland, French Polynesia, The USSR, Mongolia, Australia, New Zealand, Tasmania, Fiji, Malasia, Malta, Portugal, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, The Czech Republic, Poland, Isreal, Tunisia, Vietnam, South America, and she was also in Iran just before the 1978 uprisings...
A Celebration of life for Jacque Tucker will be on January 17th at 2pm at Covenant Village of Mt. Miguel, located at 325 Kempton Street, Spring Valley, CA 91977. Her ashes will be joined with the Pacific Ocean in the morning too.

Respectfully and Lovingly submitted,
Geoffrey "Tyler" Marsh