Biographies T
Jesse Bentley Tucker
Western Kentucky lost one of its best loved citizens and Muhlenberg County one of its highly regarded business men when Jess Tucker passed on. He had lived his life close to the people of the community into which he was born and was held high by a wide circle of friends in Muhlenberg and adjoining counties. They have been as one with his family in mourning his death and in keeping fresh his memory.
Jesse Bentley Tucker, known to all as “Jess,” was born in the Bremen Community in Muhlenberg County, February 5, 1888. His parents were George Tucker and Sue Ellen (Gossett) Tucker, representatives of two of the county's most prominent families. He had the usual schooling of the boys of his day and early entered into life's activities. His father died when Jess Tucker was but eighteen years of age and he became the head of the family, seeing to its material welfare and holding up the hand of his mother in family affairs. He began the career of an undertaker at Bremen when still in his young manhood and the business he established at that time still continues successfully after more than thirty years. In 1934 he further expanded by opening a funeral home in Greenville, which he later sold in 1936. He also operated the Smith Funeral Home in Drakesboro for colored patrons. In 1939 he purchased the funeral home of Arthur L. Mosly at Central City and consolidated it with the Tucker Funeral Home. He was Vice-President and member of the Board of Directors of the Kentucky Funeral Directors Assocation and in 1942 was elected Coronor of Muhlenberg County. He was Past Master of the Bremen Masonic Lodge, having served as Master for many years and retired from the office only because of his failing health. When quite young he became a member of the Baptist Church and throughout his life was an outstanding example of a working Christian.
Jess Tucker married Flora Bell Stewart, who was born in the Bremen Community in Muhlenberg County, Kentucky in 1888, where she still resides and to this couple were born three children. The oldest of these, a son, is Norman Stewart Tucker, who was born in Bremen, Kentucky in 1915. He attended the schools of his community, graduating from High School and then attending the Gupton Jones Embalming School at Nashville, Tennessee, where he graduated in 1933. He has always been closely associated with his father's business and is now in complete charge. He married Katherine Whitmer, who was born in South Carrollton, Kentucky, in 1915 and two children have been born of the union. Joe Ben Tucker, the elder of these was born in Central City, Kentucky, January 1, 1940, and Norma Kay, the infant daughter, was born in Central city, Kentucky, July 7, 1942. The daughter of the family, Lockie Sue Tucker, was born at Bremen, Kentucky, in 1920. She is a graduate of Lois Glenn Beauty School and has license to operate a beauty parlor. Lockie Sue married Eldon Cornette, of Greenville, Kentucky. This couple are the parents of an infant daughter, Ann Stewart Cornette, born in Bremen, January 17, 1943. The youngest of the Jess Tucker children is George Wendell Tucker, who was born in Bremen, Kentucky, August 5, 1922. He attended the grade and high schools of the community and graduated from the Kentucky School of Embalming at Louisville, Kentucky in 1942. In May, 1943, he enlisted in the service of his country, entering the Army Air Corps, in which branch he is now a Lieutenant.
In addition to his business as Funeral Director, Jess Tucker had wide interests in other fields. He was a large land owner, Vice-President and Director of the Sacramento Bank in McLean County, Kentucky; Director and stockholder in the Bremen Telephone Company, Bremen, Kentucky; owner and operator of Tucker's Garage in Bremen, Kentucky, and stockholder and director of the South Carrollton, Kentucky Bank.
Death came to Jesse Bentley Tucker suddenly Wednesday, August 12, 1942. On the Friday, previous to his death on Wednesday, he suffered a heart attack and remained quietly at his home in Bremen, enjoying the conversation of his family and relaxing in a happy home atmosphere. On Tuesday night, previous to his death the next day, he suffered a second attack of the heart and from that time on gradually weakened until death came. Coming suddenly as it did, he was not found unprepared. A long life of good servce in his church and community had endeared him to many. In fact, he was personally known to the greater portion of the people of his own and neighboring counties and there are few indeed who cannot recall some special act of friendship or some practical helpful act. He was not a man of words so much as a man of deeds and took an active part in all public and social service activities, and was always especially interested in the welfare of the individual neighbor, and was never known to refuse the request for burial service for the dead regardless of who might make the call or what the financial status of the one calling. He allowed no limit to be placed on his services in this regard.
Jess Tucker is dead. His place can be filled only with difficulty and only in a general sense at all. His family, his community, his church and his brothers in the Masonic Fraternity daily realize their loss. His work of helping the needy, cheering those in dark places and building a community is ended but the fruits of his life will long be evident in Muhlenberg County, and the ones left behind can find consolation in the things he builded, for
“Enough if something from our hands have power
To live and act and serve the future hour.”
Source: Wallis, Frederick A., and Hambleton Tapp, eds. A Sesqui-Centennial History of Kentucky. Vol. 3. Hopkinsville, KY: Historical Record Association, 1945. Pages 1392-1394.
Updated July 9, 2018