Eugene Denford Tucker

Eugene Denford Tucker, Sr., 86, a longtime Weirton resident, went to be with the Lord Thursday, March 13, 2008. A Christian, he was a loving and devoted husband, father and grandfather and will be missed tremendously by his family. He was born July 26, 1921 in Richwood, WV, a son of the late James Owen and Laura Belle Tucker. He was also preceded in death by his sister, Rita Tucker Smithson, formerly of Richwood. He is survived by his loving wife of 56 years, Helen Irene Tucker of Weirton, whom he married August 25, 1951; son Eugene D. Tucker, Jr. and his wife Jill of Weirton; daughter Sue Ann Tucker Azzarello of Weirton; brother James Owen Tucker of Weirton; granddaughter Sarabeth Tucker of Toronto, OH; great-granddaughter Kalie Toy of Toronto; step-grandson Doug Thompson of Weirton and many nieces, nephews and their families. Eugene was a 1939 graduate of Richwood High School, where he played on the school's football team. He joined the U.S. Army during World War II on September 7, 1942 and was assigned to work for the Army Medical Corps. in the European Theater until November of 1945. After returning home, he graduated from Coyne Technical School in Chicago, IL, where he became an electrician. He soon was employed by Mon Power in Clarksburg, WV and in 1951, he was hired to work in Weirton Steel Corp.'s electrical department. He also was an electrical instructor at Weirton Steel for many years as part of the company's Skill & Craft Training Center in the old Marantz Building, where he made many friends. In 1980, when the training center closed, he was transferred to the mill's Strip Steel Electrical Department over the picklers. He worked at Weirton Steel for 35 years until he retired on July 31, 1986. He also taught electricity to students at Weir Senior High School from 1960-1962. A member of the Memorial Baptist Church, his hobbies included reading, solving crossword puzzles, watching Steelers and Pirates games and doing repairs in and around the home he built for his family, which was a longtime dream. Friends will be received Sunday, March 16, 2008 from 1-3 and 6-8PM at the Greco-Hertnick Funeral Home, 3219 Main Street, Weirton, where funeral services will be celebrated at 1PM Monday. Interment will be in Highland Hills Memorial Gardens, Follansbee, WV where Military Services will be conducted by the American Legion Firing Squad. Funeral Home: Greco Hertnick Funeral Home 3219 Main Street Weirton, WV US 26062