James Tucker

Dr. James W. Tucker, Jim, age 90 went to join his fishing buddies in heaven December 19, 2018 at his home of sixty years here in Las Cruces. He was born in Brookhaven, Mississippi May 28, 1928 to John Henry Tucker and Willowene Coke Tucker. One of only two children in the family - he shared his youth with sister Janice Jolene Tucker (Carnes.) Jim was married to Mary France April 3, 1953 at First Presbyterian Church of Las Cruces by Reverend Frank Jones. An honor shared by one of their children, John. Marry and Jim celebrated their 65th anniversary last April. After graduation from Polytechnical High School in Fort Worth Texas Jim attended Texas Christian University on a music scholarship, which he lost when it was discovered he wasn't taking music but was studying pre-med. He graduated from North Texas State University just in time for the Korean war. Jim served at Fort Bliss and White Sands Proving Grounds where all his fellows were college graduates to help develop the missile program. As a medic he had many, many challenges, he worked as a lab technician in the hospital while he fitted glasses and checked water quality for all the ranchers. Luckily for Mary - she needed lab work done weekly for several weeks and was able to convince him she would be the love of his life forever. After Jim's military service he need to work and he was lucky that the science teacher at Odesa High School was drafted and he could fill the position. He knew at once he couldn't afford Mary on a teacher's salary, he would have to be a professional. His best friend from high school was already attending Baylor Dental School in Dallas and convinced him go interview. He had to wait a year to start because in March of 1954 John joined the family. He could have John or go on to school but not both so he taught another year, the day John was born Dr. Tucker was notified he had been accepted to Baylor Dental School that fall. He managed to send Mary to North Texas State so that they could graduate at the same time in 1958. At that graduation Mark (Ricky) was four months old. Coming to New Mexico was a challenge - too many of Mary's relatives lived in Las Cruces. Happily, he practiced Dentistry fifty-four years here in Las Cruces. He quietly worked for his community faithfully in the old style of serving without expecting to be paid for everything. He received bags of chile and onions along with a side of beef and that was perfectly acceptable. He made thousands of mouth guards for the New Mexico State Aggies, Las Cruces High School Bulldawgs and Mayfield High School Trojans without any expectation of payment. In later years he cared for St. Luke's patients free of charge. In his profession, he wrote the By-Laws for the Dona Ana and Southwest Dental Society. He served as President of those organizations as well as the New Mexico Board of Dentistry. Dr. Tucker was an examiner for the Western Dental Board and received accolades for his service. Although Jim loved hunting and fishing his true love was farming. He spent much of his free time on both of his properties off of Boutz Road behind the First Presbyterian Church and the ten acres that was previously owned by Mary's grandfather off of Glass Road in Mesilla. He loved to enjoy eating the garden vegetables he grew. The lack of water took away this activity when the drought hit. Jim had been a deacon and an elder for the First Presbyterian Church, when his term ended, he always cared for their ministers and families. He was forced to accompany Mary to many political functions as precinct officer. His family life was rich and varied, His eldest son John of Las Cruces (Pam Squires) gave him two super grandsons. Dr. John Tucker a physician practicing in Las Cruces and Spencer (Ena) a professional Civil Engineer in Phoenix Arizona who graced Mary and Jim with two great grandsons Grey and Jet. Mark "Ricky" the second child lives in Las Cruces and has two children, Suzette Salazar or Palm Springs California and Mark Tyler a senior at Mayfield High School who has given the last great-grandson Jonathan James Tyler Tucker. David of Las Cruces (Cheri Muncrief) the third son has four children: David Justin, Amber Dirnberger (Gary,) Amada and Austin James (A.J.) Amber has been blessed with great grandson Dylan. All of here in Las Cruces. Dr. Joy Tucker Trigo (Roberto) followed her daddy's footsteps as a pediatric dentist here in Las Cruces and is married to fellow dentist Dr. Roberto Trigo. They have two remarkable children Robi a business major and Elisa a graduate student in animal science. The extended family includes many nephews and one niece, aunts, uncles and cousins, most of them devoted New Mexicans. There will be a memorial service but the date has not been chosen. The family would like to thank Getz Funeral Home and the Mesilla Valley Hospice who have been wonderful as well as his caregivers Amarosa Morales, Judith Jimenez, Paula Chavez, Cesar and Monica Muniz.