Terry Tucker

Terry Henry Tucker passed away at Life Care Center in Idaho Falls March 5th, 2023 after an epic battle with health issues this past year.

Terry was the first child born to Reed and Marva Lee Tucker of Teton on a blustery winter day on the 24th of February 1948.

Terry attended Teton Elementary and graduated from South Fremont High School. Education was always very important to him. During his youth he enjoyed playing baseball and could throw a mean fast ball.

After high school he worked for the U.S Forest Service which paid for his education at the University of Idaho. He loved those years and the lifelong friends he met there. After graduating from U of I he took a job with Walters Produce driving a semi potato truck. While hauling in the Osgood area in 1971, he was struck by a train and that accident left him paralyzed from the waist down.

Terry was never familiar with the word can’t, he never let his disability stop him from doing the things he loved. The most time consuming was building racing engines for his Chevelle SS and Camaro for drag racing at Pocatello. His brothers, Randy and Mike would drive them and they won many first place finishes. He also loved playing classical music on his Steinway piano, fiddling with his HAM radio and visiting with people that would stop by to say hello. Some of those visits lasted for hours, and just when the visitor would make a move to leave, Terry would say “oh, just one more thing” and detain the captive caller for another hour or so.

Terry worked for the Bureau of Reclamation on the Teton Dam Project until it collapsed in 1976. The next 20 years, he worked for EG&G and then Lockheed Martin, who were sub-contractors at the INEL in Idaho Falls. Terry enjoyed that job and the people who he worked with, but due to his health problems, he had to take an early retirement. He would say for years after retiring, that he would dream of still working there.Terry spent 52 years in a wheelchair and had a love and lust for life unequal to anything anyone knew him could imagine. He endured many serious issues throughout those years and never felt sorry for himself or complained. He would never turn anyone down to go to a movie or out to dinner, he loved company and enjoying his life to the fullest. His mantra was Improvise, Adapt and Overcome.

Terry was an inspiration to all who knew him, especially his family. His time on earth was never wasted. He is at peace and WALKING those beautiful meadows in Heaven. He will be missed and he was so loved.

Terry is survived by his sisters, Connie Burrell (Brent, deceased), Debby Mace (Gene) and brothers, Randy Tucker (Debbie) and Mike Tucker. Numerous nieces and nephews.

A very heartfelt Thank You to his Dr. and friend, Dr. William Wilson and the wonderful people at Life Care, especially our angel here on earth Bobbi Hurt and Cammi, his nurses. We love you and appreciate what you do so much.

Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, March 13, 2023, at the Teton LDS Chapel with Eric Stewart officiating. The family will receive friends Monday morning from 10:00 to 10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment will be in the Teton-Newdale Cemetery under the direction of Baxter Funeral Home.

Services will be streamed at: https://my.gather.app/remember/terry-tucker-2023