Ewell Dalton Tucker, Sr. died peacefully at his home Saturday, Dec 5, 2015, under the care of Caris Hospice. He was 91 years old having been born May 16, 1924, to the late Dalton Frank Tucker and the late Sula Kennedy Tucker of the Millsfield Community. He was the fourth Tucker generation to live in West TN since the 1870s.

Mr. Tucker and Margaret Alene Ruth Dunn celebrated 71 years of marriage on August 24 of this year. She was the daughter of the late Odie McKinley Dunn and the late Mattie McCord Dunn of Cool Springs, TN. They were parents of Ewell D. Tucker, Jr. and Barbara Ann Tucker Reed.

He was a much loved and well respected member of Dyersburg and West Tennessee. Farming was his first means of livelihood, but they went to Chicago, IL, several times to work when crops had failed. In the early 1950's he and his brother-in-law, John Fronabarger, leased Pipeline Service Station on South Main St. in Dyersburg and started a tire business bringing tires from Chicago wrecker yards for resale. In 1956 he bought Mr. Fronabarger's interest and expanded the business which was destroyed by fire in 1961. At that time he purchased the property at 844 South Main St. and built Tucker Tire Co. For several years he also leased property at the corner of Main St. and McGaughey St. that was known as 555 Tire Co.

In 1971 Mr. Tucker had a massive heart attack and was told that he would never be able to return to full time work. He had consolidated his business at the South Main location, which now serves northwest TN as well as customers all over the US and several foreign countries. This facility and EBAY sales are managed by Ewell, Jr.(known as J R).

Not ones to be idle, Ewell and Margaret decided in the early 1970's to build rental property. They developed and built a small subdivision on John Mark Dr. In the 1990's Dillon Dr. was developed and in the early 2000's Maplewood Cove. Mike Heathcott constructed all of these projects and became like a family member to the Tuckers. Ewell and Margaret bought various other properties through the years which they managed and maintained until their health would no longer allow it. Their daughter, Barbara Ann Tucker Reed, now manages Tucker Properties, LLC.

Mr. Tucker leaves his daughter-in-law, Sandra Ozment Tucker, and his son-in-law, John Jewell Reed, Jr. who he loved as his own children. He leaves five grandchildren: Buddy Tucker, Tammy Tucker Rice (Quad), Margaret Tucker Castleman (Mark), all of Dyersburg; Mary Elizabeth Reed of Ider, AL; and James Tucker Reed (Beth Ann) of Oak Ridge, TN. Great-grandchildren are Dillon Tucker, Ernest (Quinn) Rice V, Jon Mark Castleman, all of Dyersburg; Nyla Elizabeth Newsome of Ider, AL; Alexandra McKenzie Green and Tucker Harlow Reed of Oak Ridge, TN. One great, great-grandchild, Bladen Reedy-Tucker of LaCrosse, WI survives.

Only one of Mr. Tucker's siblings survives, Jere Lynn Tucker, of Dyersburg. Other siblings now deceased are Daisy Mozelle Tucker Moody (Aron) of Millsfield and Wavel Irene Tucker Fronabarger (John) Stiles (Russell) of Taft, CA. One grandchild, John Mark Reed, preceded Mr. Tucker in death.

Mr. Tucker leaves several nieces and nephews. A niece, Flona Moody Leach Phillips, and a nephew-in-law, Michael Coleman, were especially close to him.

Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday at Fairview Cemetery with Dr. Jim Roper officiating. Dyersburg Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

The family will receive visitors from 5:30-8 p.m. Tuesday at Dyersburg Funeral Home.

In lieu of flowers, please make contributions to the Community Cancer Fund, P.O. Box 1055, Dyersburg, TN 38025; the Dyersburg/Dyer Co. Humane Society, P.O. Box 223, Dyersburg, TN 38025-0223 or your favorite charity.

Pallbearers will be Bruce Phillips, Glenn Thompson, David Brown, Larry Moody, Ronnie Westmoreland, and Mike Heathcott. Honorary pallbearers will be Terry Riggs, Nathaniel Goff, and Matthew Goff.