James Aubrey Tucker

James Aubrey Tucker, or fondly called Jimmy/James A/Tucker went home to heaven on September 21, 2022 in Jacksonville, Florida. A proud native of Jacksonville, Dad was born at St. Vincent’s Hospital on June 20, 1943 and lived in the Miramar area, first on Monterey Street then in the house his parents built on Worth Drive in 1951 where his son and family now live. He attended Hendricks Avenue Elementary and graduated from Landon High School in 1961 where he met his beautiful wife of 57 years, Carol. Together they built a long and happy life together surrounded by friends and family. He never missed a Landon class reunion and loved his fellow Landon Lions. He graduated from Gordon Military College and the University of Georgia where he was a business major and a member of Alpha Tau Omega fraternity. He always had crazy ATO stories to share with us and loved his time in Athens.

Dad served in the National Guard at Camp Blanding and Fort Benning, Georgia and began his career at Royal Crown Cola Bottling Company in Jacksonville. He then ran Southside Blueprint Service on Kings Avenue for 40 years where he held court daily with customers and friends while running blueprints and providing CAD services for local architects, landscapers and engineers.

Dad led an active life in the community and shared his larger than life personality with people far and wide. He coached Little League football, volunteered eleven years at The Players Championship as Chairman of the admissions and apparel committees, and proudly served as President of Rotary Club of South Jacksonville in 1990. He volunteered at San Jose Country Club swim meets and took his talents league wide as the River City Swim League meet referee for many years. He served as President of the Amelia South Condo Association and loved spending time with his Beach family in K2 where many animated debates and discussions were held about sports, politics and life.

Dad spent Friday nights on the high school football field refereeing with his buddies for over 30 years. He knew every coach and Athletic Director in town and served as Commissioner of the North Florida Officials Association for 19 years. He treasured his time on the field with the guys that he still calls friends today. Special thanks to his good friend, Brad Kennington who was on the field with him for many years and followed him as Commissioner.

Although a proud graduate of the University of Georgia, he was a Florida Gator by birth and a Gator until the end. Dad grew up at Florida Field with his lifelong friend Lamar Sarra. Dad returned there as a young adult and shared his love of the Gators with his family, tailgating for many years with the Larmoyeux, Shumer and Johnson families and then traveling by RV with the Nimnicht family and friends on Saturdays in the fall. He loved serving as Bill Jr. then Lee’s co-pilot, and he particularly enjoyed traveling to away Gator games with the Motorhome gang as they made memories across the south from Baton Rouge and New Orleans to Knoxville and Pigeon Forge, TN. Highlights of Dad’s life as a Gator fan include witnessing Florida’s first official SEC title against Kentucky in 1991, many trips to Birmingham, AL and Atlanta for the SEC Championship games and being in Miami for the 1996 National Championship.

Dad was predeceased by his parents Aubrey and Mary Alice Tucker. He is survived by his high school sweetheart and wife, Carol Colbert Tucker. Together they have two children, Kimberly Tucker Price (Shawn) and James Michael Tucker (Jen) and seven grandchildren: Marie Graham Price, Tucker Logan Price, Abigail Elaine Tucker, Amelia Reese Tucker, Alex Davis, Cameron Davis and Teagan Davis.

He is also survived by his sister in law Pamela Colbert Baker (Stew) and brother in law Ralph Cato Colbert, Jr., as well as nieces and nephews Ginger Greaker (Jon), Neely Thomas (Brad) and John Baker (Jen).

We offer our gratitude and thanks to Shelby Vaughn and the Memory Care staff at Sodalis Senior Living. There they only knew him after his dementia robbed him of his personality but all who knew him through the years know he never met a stranger and would bend your ear for hours and call you a friend for life! He loved breakfast at T-Rays in Fernandina, Krystal burgers, making popcorn on the stove and wasn’t much of a drinker but treasured a Stinger with the Motorhome gang.

A memorial service will be held Wednesday, September 28, 2022 at San Jose Episcopal Church (7423 San Jose Blvd.) at 11:00 am with Reverend Steph Britt officiating with a reception to follow at his childhood home. How truly special it will be to honor our beloved dad, husband, granddaddy and friend to so many at the chapel where he grew up.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to San Jose Episcopal Church.