Paul Edward -Eddie- Tucker

The youngest of seven children, Paul Edward Tucker was born on Christmas Eve, 1928 to Frank and Elizabeth Tucker. He spent his early years in Osgood, Indiana, and later moved to Versailles, a town he described as “a nice place to grow up in.” He would play football on the town square with his friends or go down to the bluff near Gordon’s Leap to play. He admitted that he daydreamed a lot in school. “When planes were new…when I’d see one, I’d pay more attention to it that to the teacher. I would draw airplanes instead of doing my schoolwork. The post office in town had a lot of paper; I would fold them into paper airplanes, take a stack of them, and fly them over the bluff.” Later in life, he attributed his success in Naval Aviation School and his job at Allison to this one small hobby.

Paul Eddie joined the U.S. Navy in 1946. He served as seaman first class until 1948 when he then enlisted in the Navy Reserves, serving until 1955. While beginning Navy boot camp, his commanding officer, noticing his height, asked Paul where he was from. Paul told him Indiana. The officer stated, “Indiana! You are on the basketball team.” While in the Navy, Paul studied general aviation and aviation metal-smithing. In 1949, while serving in the Navy Reserves, he began training as an airman. He received his private pilot’s license on July 4, 1950.

Paul Eddie frequently checked out a plane from Weir Cook airport, next to Allison where he worked in 1951. His favorite planes were Steerman, Cessna, Taylorcraft, and Cub. It was shortly after this that he met Frances. Paul Eddie would court Frances and come calling in a plane, landing in a field near her home in Stilesville. He reportedly made a few farmers pretty angry when he destroyed their crops while landing the plane. Eddie once listed Frances as “cargo” on his pilot’s log and they flew to New Orleans as he was not supposed to carry passengers. This was just the beginning of their many adventures and travels. Just a few years later, Paul Eddie gave Frances an engagement gift of a sewing machine, not a ring, and they were married August 23, 1953.

Paul Eddie bought a Harley, the first of his many motorcycles, while in San Diego. This became a great part of both Frances and Eddie’s lives. He started racing dirt bikes, participated in hare scrambles, cross country enduros and some moto-cross events when he was 37. Some of the most enjoyable times of his life were riding in these events. The friendships that developed from motorcycling lasted throughout his life.

Eddie taught Frances, Toni, and Terri how to ride in the late 1960s and many vacations were taken on their motorcycles. Taking tents, sleeping bags, and cooking gear, the family traveled from Nova Scotia to California, and Florida to British Columbia, as well as many places in between. Eddie’s zeal for adventure in many forms made him an amazing father. Toni and Terri’s high school friends would say Eddie was the “coolest” dad. Eddie’s niece, Karli, was like a daughter to him. He treated her as such, with all the same love and discipline that he gave to Toni and Terri. It was his great honor to be the one to walk her down the aisle at her wedding.

Later in life, Frances and Eddie extended their travels across many continents, visiting China, Australia, Russia, Egypt, and Central America just to name a few. One of Eddie’s favorite trips was a Rhine River cruise through Europe.

Eddie was blessed with four grandchildren, Matt, Jordan, Josh, and Shane, whom he loved dearly. He continued to share camping and motorcycle adventures with them. One special treat was when he would hook his trail bike up to a dishpan sled in the winter and pull them around his back yard in the snow. He especially loved attending their ball games and other sports activities.

Eddie had a running joke with his son-in-laws, Mike and Dale, telling each one they were his favorite.

Through all Eddie’s life adventures, Frances was by his side, for better and worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health. She was his primary caregiver over the last seven years when his Alzheimer’s disease really set in and travel was no longer an easy option. They would enjoy nightly “happy hour” with wine and country music on the front porch swing of their beautiful southwestern-style home in Carmel. Eddie once said, “Without Frances, there is no happy hour.” He loved her beyond words. Paul’s favorite song for Frances was “If I Had My Way” by Willie Nelson. Fran’s favorite song for Eddie was “Look at Us” by Vince Gill. Both songs reflected the love and life they shared together. They truly were a model couple for what makes a successful and holy marriage.

Eddie was a man of few words but many songs. He knew hundreds of songs which he attributed to “church-goin’.” He once said, “I learned my cussin’ from my dad and my singing from my mom.” Even though he was known to continue some of the “cussin’” in his later years, this was strongly discouraged by all the girls in the family, especially Frances. He was encouraged to sing, so his final days were spent singing and listening to the old music he loved.

Paul E. Tucker left a legacy of Christian faith. Although Eddie was not what many may call a “religious” man, he made sure his daughters were raised in a Christian home, by going to church as a family, and expecting only the best from them. He had high expectations, firm in his discipline, but he was also patient. Eddie was there to help those who needed help in any way he could. He was devoted to his family and his word was as good as gold. His own personal faith was evident in the hymns he would sing.

Hearing Dad sing “The Old Rugged Cross” and “In the Garden” will be one of the things that we will miss most. We are thankful that someday we will get to hear him sing again when we all meet in Heaven as believers in Christ Jesus.

Eddie loved motorcycles, aviation, travel, music, and his cats, Raymond and Cheetah. His greatest love was Frances and his family. He passed away in his sleep on October 31, 2017 surrounded by the ones he loved, and with his cat, Cheetah lying on the bed with him. His memory is a treasure.