Tucker, Harold Leo

Harold Leo Tucker, 76, died peacefully Monday, Aug. 27, 2012, at Mercy Hospice in Iowa City, surrounded by his family. Funeral mass will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, Aug. 31, at St. Bernadette Catholic Church in West Branch. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Henderson-Barker Funeral Home in West Branch where a Christian wake service will be held at 8 p.m. Burial will be in St. Joseph Cemetery, Cedar Valley.

A memorial fund has been established.

Online condolences may be made to the family at .

Harold was born on the family farm Oct. 3, 1935, near West Branch, the son of Leo and Margaret (Shima) Tucker. He was a graduate of West Branch High School in 1953 and attended Iowa State University and Ruppert Auctioneering School. On June 20, 1959, he was united in marriage to Donna Petrusch in Marion, Iowa. He farmed his entire life and operated Tucker Trucking for many years.

He was a member of St. Bernadette Catholic Church and the Iowa City and Tipton Moose Lodge. He enjoyed tinkering in his shop, fishing in the pond, reading western books and watching western movies, playing cards, but most of all, he enjoyed spending time with family and attending his kids and grandchildren's activities. He loved the Iowa Hawkeyes, his dog, Buster and cat, Oscar.

Survivors include his wife, Donna of West Branch; three sons, Greg (Faye) Tucker, Brian (Marjorie) Tucker and Jason (Lori) Tucker, all of West Branch; two daughters, Julie Tucker and Beth (Bob) Dingbaum, both of West Branch; three sisters, Helen Sorensen of Cedar Rapids, Patricia Peacock of Mesa, Ariz. and Jean (Bob) Bumsted of Burr Ridge, Ill.; 15 grandchildren, Michael (Krista) Tucker, Monica (Jarod) Tylee, Elizabeth Tucker, Jamie Tucker, Erin (Jay) VonAhsen, Josh (Melissa) Tucker, Katie Tucker, Lauren Cilek and her significant other, Ryan Bowers, Logan Cilek, Leah Cilek, Matthew Tucker, Nevin Tucker, Garrett Tucker, Aiden Dingbaum and Asa Dingbaum; and four great-grandchildren, T.J. and Ashlee Farrier and Alivia and Jaxon Tucker, also expecting two great grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents; a granddaughter, Nicole; sister, Leota Steffen; and two infant sisters.

A special thank you to Iowa City Hospice, Mercy Hospice, Dr. Thomas Novak, Rev. Greg Steckel and Rev. Dennis Martin.

Published in The Gazette Aug. 29, 2012.