William Dawsie Tucker “Bill” was born on January 8, 1922 in Shady Dale, GA to William Dawsie Tucker, Sr. and Opie Andrews Tucker died Wednesday, April 21, 2010. He loved telling the story that the doctor came down from Athens on the morning train, the baby was born, and the doctor went back home on the afternoon train. When Bill was six months old, his family moved to Atlanta, where they lived with his grandmother at a boarding house. He graduated from Boys High School in 1940 and from Georgia Tech in 1942 with a BS degree and in 1954 with a MS degree. Bill was in the Army for three years, serving in Hawaii, Saipan, and he was among the first troops to occupy Japan. It was during Bill’s service in the Army that he became a Christian. He and Virginia married in 1950 at Peachtree Road Christian Church. Bill worked eight years for Georgia Association of Petroleum Retailers. He moved his family to Jacksonville, FL, where they became charter members of Parkwood Baptist Church. The family moved to Orlando in 1967 where Bill served for 22 years as executive director of the Allied Gasoline Retailers Association. There they became members of Winter Park Baptist Church. They moved back to Atlanta in 1977, where Bill served in the business office of the Georgia Baptist Convention until he retired in 1990. The family moved to Gainesville, GA in 2003. Bill served as treasurer of the Embry Hills Investment Club from 1982 until 2003. He was a member of the Lakewood Baptist Church in Gainesville. Preceding him in death were his parents and his younger brother, J. Thomas Tucker of Front Royal, VA. Surviving are his wife of 60 years, Virginia Jones Tucker; his daughters, Susan (Keith) Moore and Gayle Tucker, all of Gainesville. Also surviving are his brother, John A. (Allene) Tucker of Lansing, MI and their children, John A. Tucker, Jr., Laurie Hereza and Matthew Tucker; his sister-in-law, Virginia Carbaugh of Front Royal, VA and her daughters, Becky Sczdulo and Sarah Thompson; his brother-in-law, Jim Austin; and his sister-in-law, Jefflyn Massengale (Hiram). Bill had three grandchildren, Ryan (Jennifer) Moore, Ansley Moore (Chad) of Athens, GA, and Christopher B. (Susan) Moore of Gainesville. He also had three great grandchildren, Sage Klein, Oscar Beacham and Reah Moore. He leaves behind a host of great friends and many relatives in addition to those listed above. A memorial service will be held at 2:00 P.M. Saturday, April 24th at Briarlake Baptist Church, 3715 LaVista Rd., Decatur, GA 30033 with Dr. James W. Austin and Dr. James N. Griffith officiating. The family will receive visitors an hour before the service at the church. In lieu of flowers, Bill requested that donations be sent to Zachariah’s Way, PO Box 1009, Sautee Nacoochee, GA 30571. A. S. Turner & Sons is in charge of arrangements.
