On Thursday September 7th, 2017, Ina Maxine C. Tucker peacefully went to heaven to be with our Lord and her deeply missed husband, and best friend, Harry "Ken" Tucker.  Our beloved Mother, Grandmother, confidant, and best friend will be terribly missed by all who knew and loved her.  Ina was of strong Christian faith, and a longtime member of Richland Church of Christ, where she taught Sunday school for many years.  Ina’s faith never wavered, she was ready to be called to heaven at any time, but she wasn’t in any rush to go.  Ina’s faith, grace and kindness towards everyone she met was a true gift and a shining light.  She was a genuine lady.  Ina lived at her home, was fiercely independent, she was always tending to her roses, her garden and her home. She always did anything, for anyone, at any time. Her son, Kevin, was her proudest achievement and when her grandchildren were born they were added to being the light of her life!  Both she and “Papa Ken” loved and were so proud of Casey and Kyle and enjoyed the great times they spent together.

     Ina Maxine C. Tucker was born in Bass, Arkansas, on September 23rd, 1921 to John Henry Curtis and Verda McCutcheon Curtis.  Ina was a dental technician for many years before leaving Arkansas and moving to Oakland, CA in 1948.  It was in Oakland that she met the love of her life, Harry Kenneth Tucker, whom had recently returned from WWII.  They were married on November 18, 1950 and moved to Richland, where they both went to work for General Electric. Ken and Ina had one son, Kevin.  Their love for Kevin filled every facet of their lives with joy!  Ina was an engineering assistant working with many engineers at GE, designing many facilities of what is now called Hanford.  She left GE in 1959, when her son Kevin was born.  Ina enjoyed selling Avon while she stayed at home raising her family and went back to work in 1973 at Perks Sewing Center in Richland, teaching sewing classes and selling Bernina sewing machines.  When Ken retired in 1985, she did the same, enjoying 28 special years together. During retirement Ken and Ina always spent the winter, with many friends in Parker Arizona, on the Colorado River.  They loved to travel in their motorhome, and traveled extensively.  Ina and Ken loved to fish for salmon and steelhead on the Columbia, and did so most weekdays in the fall, until both were in their early 80's. Their knowledge gained from fishing the Columbia for over 50 years was remarkable.  Ken was a fishing guide early in life, and had that special “gift”.  He made a “Colorado” spinner as he liked to call it, that they began using in the early 1960’s, the steelhead did not have a chance.  They were popular with the fisherman, always wanting to see the secret spinner! Ina and Ken were married for 63 wonderful years and truly helped define the greatest generation. 

     Ina was preceded in death by her husband, Harry Kenneth Tucker (2013), her brother Doyne (1971) and sister Joyce (2017).  Ina is survived by her son Kevin Tucker, (wife) Kathy Tucker, and grandchildren Casey Tucker and Kyle Tucker as well as her brother Leroy Curtis and wife Eloise Curtis of Richland.  Ina and Ken often would say how much they loved their "daughter" Kathy Tucker.  Kathy loved and treated both Ken and Ina like parents, and their love for each other was truly unconditional.  Kathy spent countless days and nights with Ken and Ina at home, doctor’s appointments, and at the hospital to make sure that the care they received was perfect. 

     We would like to extend our special thanks to Dr. Erick Isaacson.  Over the many years that both Ina and Ken were your patients you also became their friend.  Their trust in you we held dear. We will always appreciate your knowledge, kindness and care for our Dear Ina and Ken!

     A Funeral service will be held at Events at Sunset, 915 ByPass Hwy in Richland on September 24, 2017 at 2:00PM with interment immediately following at Sunset Gardens. We invite you to join us to honor and celebrate the life of our Dear Ina.