Kenneth Duane Tucker

Kenneth Duane Tucker, 73, of St. Augustine, Fla., passed away on Jan. 31, 2014, at the Bailey Family for Caring with his wife by his side. He was born on Aug. 25, 1940, in Chicago, Ill., and graduated from Hammond High School with the class of 1958. He joined the U.S. Army and served in Korea in the DMZ. After he received his honorable discharge in 1963, he worked for E.I. Dupont in East Chicago, Ind., for 16 years. While there, he was an active union organizer and served as president of the Grasselli Independent Union for many years.

He was a great community organizer and president of Calumet Community Congress which consisted of 153 separate organizations. He wrote a chapter for the book "Rank and File" regarding labor laws authored by Staughton Lynd. During this time he worked with Ralph Nader on many occasions on community issues and standards. In 1976, Ken and his wife Susan owned and operated two Bar and Grill establishments at Cedar Lake, Ind. In 1981 Ken and his family moved to St. Augustine, Fla., where he owned a glass tinting business until his retirement in 2004. In 1986, he founded the St. Augustine Ironman, a two day event featuring competition in golf, bowling, darts, horseshoes, and billiards. This year's competition will be the 28th year of the event. He also became an active supporter of VFW Post 2391, and was instrumental in developing the Am Vets Post 45 in St. Augustine.

He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Susan; his four children, Tom and wife Jane, Mike, Kerri and husband Peter Roussell, and Eddie; and three grandchildren, Kenny, Timmy, and Tara. He will be missed by so many friends whose lives he touched wherever he lived.

A memorial service with military honors will be held at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 22, 2014, at the Bryan Tutten Memorial V.F.W. Post 2391, 6184 U.S. 1 North, St. Augustine, FL 32086.

In lieu of flowers, donations in his memory can be made to Community Hospice of N.E. FL 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257.

St. Johns Family Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.