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Elvie Tucker June 16, 1925 – October 7, 2007 (I hope you don’t mind indulging me, but many of you did not know my Dad. I can honestly say that I have met a number of great people in my life, but the greatest man I have ever known was my Dad. It is not uncommon to see coffee mugs and father’s day cards with the phrase "World’s Greatest Dad." I will tell you that I had the world greatest Dad. We were blessed to have him for so long and he will be missed. ) Elvie was the son of Emmitt and Beeda. He was the oldest of thirteen children. Dad grew up during the depression. While those of my generation read about people standing in food lines and going hungry, dad lived it. They lived mostly in the area of Butler, Grayson, and Ohio Counties. I remember riding in the car and dad would point out where they used to live. It seemed like they lived on about every farm in that area. It occurred to me later that the reason they moved so much was because they could not afford the rent or payments for the house or farm. He spoke of living in cabins where snow came in through the cracks and being able to see the stars while lying in bed. They did not go to the doctor when sick for they could not afford the doctor bill nor the medicine. Dad spoke of getting an apple for Christmas or maybe a piece of candy. He received all of a third grade education; for he had to work to help provide for the family. A young boy that was able and willing to work could get a job for a quarter a day. On the other hand a grown man made fifty cents a day. He found work when his dad could not. I wish I could say dad’s growing up years were happy and good, but that would not be the truth. His father was abusive. At times he would beat on his wife, Beeda. Other times he would beat on my Dad. One occasion dad said he thought his dad was going to beat him to death. Afterward he told his father that he would not take that again. Some how dad found it in his heart to not harbor ill feelings toward his father. Elvie did not wallow in self pity. He rose above his up bringing. Maybe due to his family, he worked to make sure our home life was better. Elvie loved working with horses. He grew up plowing corn and tobacco. After we had a tractor, he still broke horses to work out the garden. Farming was one of his great loves. He loved being around cattle, putting up fences, putting up hay, and gardening. He and Mom married, February 18th, 1950. They had my brother, Mike, December 13, 1952, me January 4, 1957; and my sister, Sharon, August 21,1963. After trying his hand at farming a number of times, Dad went to public work as he called it. He worked for the railroads and other companies. Mom got on first at Brown and Williamson in Louisville, dad eventually started working there also. They both retired in 1985. It was at that time they moved back to the farm. The old wood framed house was replaced by a brick home with modern conveniences. No longer would water have to be drawn from a well, a bath taken from a wash pan, or a trip be taken to the out house. The wood cook stove was replaced by an electric range. As he would say later on, he did pretty well for a man with a 3rd grade education. After retirement, my Dad got to do what he loved. He farmed. For a number of years he played hard on the farm. For him getting up at day break to feed the cattle, plow the garden, or strip tobacco was not work, it was what he enjoyed. In 1980 he was found to have three major blockages in his heart. He was scared of having the surgery, but went through a triple by pass just fine.Dad and Mom, as well as my brother, were baptized on the same day. I can not tell you the exact day or year but it was around 1972. I was just a young teenager, but I remember well that day. Almost immediately Dad started working on leading songs. He would practice all around the house. One of the first sounds we would hear in the morning was dad singing. I can honestly say Dad loved serving God. He loved going to services at Antioch church of Christ in Ohio County. The last three years of his life was not like Dad wanted. His health started to decline. At first he complained about being dizzy all the time; then he started talking about being sick in his stomach. Doctors ran various test, but nothing could be found. I knew Dad was really sick when he stopped gardening. He worried about not being able to make it to services, not leading singing, and not being able to read his bible. In June, 2006 he had a stent put in his heart, which helped his chest pains. But he always complained of the dizziness, sickness, and numbness around his lips. We realized as this year unfolded that Dad would not be with us long. As he would say, he realized these days were coming, but did not think they would come so fast. There are numerous lessons I learned from by Dad. If you want some thing you had better work for it. To Dad hard work was just a way of life. After his first surgery Dad was not feeling well and unable to get up on his own. He wanted to sit up in a chair. We tried to talk him out of it, but he was determined to get in that chair. Once we got him sitting up he looked at us and said, "If you just lay there and do nothing, that is all you will ever be, nothing." We learned very early to listen and do what we were told. We were not beaten, but we were spanked and whipped when we got out of line. Some people may have considered Dad’s discipline to be harsh, but he never had to get a child out of jail, go to school because we got in trouble, or pay our way out of jail. Early in our years we obeyed because we were afraid of being spanked. Later on we obeyed because we loved him. Dad and Mom taught all about commitment. They were committed to each other, their children, and God. After Mike, Sharon, and I had all obeyed the Gospel some one asked them how they were able to raise us in such a tough part of town. We grew up in the West End of Louisville, which was considered one of the bad parts of the town. Mom and Dad said they just taught us to do what was right. The truth is they worked with us and I mean that literally and figuratively. They invested their time in us. We worked almost every weekend on the farm. We worked as a family. Where many parents try to keep their children busy at sports and other things, our parents kept us busy with them. Dad taught us commitment to God in their service to Him. I remember times when Antioch would have a Gospel Meeting and my parents would take a vacation to be there. At times the meeting would be at a time when they could not take a vacation. Dad would get up at 5:30 in the morning and get ready for work. He would work until 3:00 pm, come home, eat something, get cleaned up and drive two hours to Antioch. Afterward, he would drive back to Louisville and go to bed around midnight. The next day he would do it again. That is commitment. Dad taught me about standing for the truth. If a member became unfaithful and somebody needed to visit them, Dad would be one of those men making the visit. If some thing was taught and Dad did not understand it, he would study it out and talk to the teacher. There were times when he would lead singing and at the end of services felt the need to address some problem. We never knew exactly what Dad was about to say, but we knew it would come from his heart. He would not compromise the Word for the sake of convenience or peace. Dad taught me to laugh. When Dad was serious he was serious and you knew it. Some times people did not know how to take him, because he was so serious. But Dad loved to laugh and joke around. We had fun on the farm. Dad taught me it was ok to try and fail. I never heard him say, "I don’t love you" or "You can not do that." After being baptized, I was asked to give the scripture reading one Sunday. The reading was long and I was nervous. I stumbled over words, read too fast, and just messed up the reading. Afterward, I dropped my Bible on the way to the pew. Dad got up and said, "Dennis had some problems this morning, but he will do better the next time." That always stuck with me. We may mess up and get in trouble, but we can do better the next time. The last lesson Dad taught us was with his death. While it is hard to lose a loved one, it is not unbearable. The Bible speaks of the sorrow of this world which produces death, 2 Corinthians 7.10; and Godly sorrow which produces life, 1 Corinthians 7.10a. It also speaks of a sorrow that is without hope. "But I do not want you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow as others who have no hope" (1 Thess. 4.13). On the other hand we can have hope at the death of our loved ones. "For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. Therefore comfort one another with these words" (1 Thess. 4.16-18). I am thankful Dad lived a life seeking heaven, serving God, and leaving us with this hope. Dad was not a tall man but he cast a big shadow. — Dennis Tucker |