William Durand Tucker

Tucker, William Durand ?Bill?, 78, of 1 Beach Drive S.E., St. Petersburg, died Thursday, October 9, 2003. Mr. Tucker moved to St. Petersburg in 1930 from his native Ocala, Florida. He attended North Ward Elementary, Mirror Lake Junior High and St. Petersburg High School. While at St. Pete High, Mr. Tucker was active in school activities and was Class President. He played tailback on the football team and was team captain in his senior year. He also was captain of the track team and Florida State champion in the high hurdles. In July 1943, Mr. Tucker enlisted in the US Army and served in the Central European Theater during World War II. In 1944, he fought the Battle of the Bulge with the 69th Division. A graduate of the University of Florida, Mr. Tucker returned to St. Petersburg becoming a hotelier and was co-owner and manager of the Albermarle Hotel. He was a past president of the St. Petersburg Hotel and Motel Association and the Florida Hotel and Motel Association. Mr. Tucker was active in the local community as a former member of the Board of Governors of the St. Petersburg Area Chamber of Commerce; Board member of the AAA Auto Club South and the Squires. He was also an active member of the St. Petersburg Yacht Club and attended the Pasadena Community United Methodist Church. Mr. Tucker was an avid sportsman, enjoying boating and golf and was a member of the Polywogs. He was distinguished as one of the Sunset Seven. He is survived by his wife, Joan Appleyard Tucker; son, William D. Tucker, Jr. of Seminole, FL; daughter, Tena Grace Tucker of Defuniak Springs, FL; two grandsons, William D. Tucker, III of St. Petersburg, FL and Milton Talmadge Fogg, III of Shalimar, FL; and two granddaughters, Elisa June Tucker of Mobile, AL and Ashley McDaniel Fogg of Shalimar, FL. Anderson-McQueen Funeral Homes ? Ninth Street Chapel.