Colonel Phillip E. Tucker U. S. Marine Corps (Retired) Sept. 29, 1942 ~ July 23, 2019
Colonel Tucker was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on September 29, 1942, and grew up in northern Virginia. He was a longtime Nevada resident who most recently resided in Daphne, Alabama. He passed away on July 23, 2019, in Pensacola, Florida, after a brief illness.
He was the First Captain of the Regiment of Cadets at the Virginia Military Institute, where he graduated with highest academic honors. Subsequently, Duke University selected him as the 1964 recipient of the British Commonwealth Fellowship in Political Theory.
Col. Tucker was commissioned a second lieutenant of Marine infantry. He participated in combat operations as an infantry commander in the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Vietnam. He later served in the Republic of Korea on the DMZ and at the UN forces headquarters at Yongsan.
He graduated in 1977 from the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College with a Master of Science degree in Military Science. In 1985, he graduated from the National War College with a master's degree in International Security Affairs.
Col. Tucker also served in the Office of Legislative Affairs at the Marine headquarters in Washington, D. C., and as the Senior Marine Officer, Headquarters, U. S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Col. Tucker's last assignment was as the Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, California.
His personal decorations include: two awards of the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Bronze Star for valor, the Defense Meritorious Service medal, and two awards of the Meritorious Service medal.
After retiring from the Marine Corps, Col. Tucker taught American History and Western Civilization for the Barstow Community College extension in Coleville, California. He coached football and baseball at Coleville and Smith Valley high schools for sixteen years. He also served at Douglas High School as an assistant baseball coach and as an umpire for Carson Valley Girls Softball. Nothing gave him more pleasure than seeing the young people with whom he had worked and their families.
Col. Tucker is survived by his beloved Cissy, his wife of forty-four years, daughter, Lora Kaasch, and son-in-law, Jake Kaasch of Round Rock, Texas. Survivors also include brother, Thomas Cleveland Tucker, and his wife, Carrie, as well as brother-in-law, Noah Hinton, and his wife, Bonnie.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, August 1st at 10 am at St. Gall Catholic Church in Gardnerville, NV with Burial to follow at Hillcrest Cemetery, Smith Valley. A potluck will be held at Smith Valley Baptist Church on the corner of Highway 208 and Hudson Way.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Col. Tucker to City of Refuge in Gardnerville, Nevada, or St. Vincent's Dining Room, Reno, Nevada.
Arrangements are under the trusted care of Fitzhenry's Funeral Home, Minden, NV 775-782-1999.
-->Colonel Phillip E. Tucker U. S. Marine Corps (Retired) Sept. 29, 1942 ~ July 23, 2019
Colonel Tucker was born in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, on September 29, 1942, and grew up in northern Virginia. He was a longtime Nevada resident who most recently resided in Daphne, Alabama. He passed away on July 23, 2019, in Pensacola, Florida, after a brief illness.
He was the First Captain of the Regiment of Cadets at the Virginia Military Institute, where he graduated with highest academic honors. Subsequently, Duke University selected him as the 1964 recipient of the British Commonwealth Fellowship in Political Theory.
Col. Tucker was commissioned a second lieutenant of Marine infantry. He participated in combat operations as an infantry commander in the Dominican Republic and the Republic of Vietnam. He later served in the Republic of Korea on the DMZ and at the UN forces headquarters at Yongsan.
He graduated in 1977 from the U. S. Army Command and General Staff College with a Master of Science degree in Military Science. In 1985, he graduated from the National War College with a master's degree in International Security Affairs.
Col. Tucker also served in the Office of Legislative Affairs at the Marine headquarters in Washington, D. C., and as the Senior Marine Officer, Headquarters, U. S. Pacific Fleet, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii.
Col. Tucker's last assignment was as the Commanding Officer, Marine Corps Mountain Warfare Training Center, Bridgeport, California.
His personal decorations include: two awards of the Legion of Merit, two awards of the Bronze Star for valor, the Defense Meritorious Service medal, and two awards of the Meritorious Service medal.
After retiring from the Marine Corps, Col. Tucker taught American History and Western Civilization for the Barstow Community College extension in Coleville, California. He coached football and baseball at Coleville and Smith Valley high schools for sixteen years. He also served at Douglas High School as an assistant baseball coach and as an umpire for Carson Valley Girls Softball. Nothing gave him more pleasure than seeing the young people with whom he had worked and their families.
Col. Tucker is survived by his beloved Cissy, his wife of forty-four years, daughter, Lora Kaasch, and son-in-law, Jake Kaasch of Round Rock, Texas. Survivors also include brother, Thomas Cleveland Tucker, and his wife, Carrie, as well as brother-in-law, Noah Hinton, and his wife, Bonnie.
A funeral service will be held Thursday, August 1st at 10 am at St. Gall Catholic Church in Gardnerville, NV with Burial to follow at Hillcrest Cemetery, Smith Valley. A potluck will be held at Smith Valley Baptist Church on the corner of Highway 208 and Hudson Way.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Col. Tucker to City of Refuge in Gardnerville, Nevada, or St. Vincent's Dining Room, Reno, Nevada.
Arrangements are under the trusted care of Fitzhenry's Funeral Home, Minden, NV 775-782-1999.
