Obituary for Kenneth Eugene TUCKER
Kenneth Eugene Tucker
June 24, 1953 to July 12, 2020
Husband of Helen and the late Connie (2000)
Brother of Edward, Tom, Dave, and Barry
Father of Audra and Jason (Mary)
Step-Father of Evan (Melissa) and Tommy (Sarah)
Grandfather of Kyle, Isaac, Sam, Geillis, Harland, Emma-rae, Finn, Richard, Jenna, and Cashten
Great-Grandfather of Temperance and Victoria
Ken was born and raised in the Woodstock area where he married his first love Connie Gingerich and they had two beautiful children, Audra, and Jason. When jobs were slowing down in the area, Ken moved his family north and bought a farm (he always was a farm boy at heart). He had his own logging business, K.E.T., which he ran a few years until the economy changed and Ken went to work on the railroad building tracks. Due to being away from his family so much, Ken left the railroad and got a job at the local wafer board factory in Englehart where he worked for a number of years. Ken loved working with his hands, building stuff. Even when he was so sick and in pain with cancer, he built beautiful planter boxes for our vegetable garden and a one of kind mailbox. Ken loved to do automotive body work and paint cars. He was also a certified arborist. He would never back down from a challenge. Ken was a very safety conscientious person and received an award at the wafer mill for 1,000,000 man hours accident free. Ken was a joker and had that “joker smile”. Ken always wanted to make everyone laugh.
When Connie passed away in 2000 from cancer, Ken decided it was a time to move back home to where the “corn grows” (the Woodstock area).
Ken’s sister-in-law, Carol, aka Gladys, wanted Ken and I to meet. I had knew of Ken all of my life. Finally, September 2004, I agreed to call Ken and we talked. I had plans to go to a singles dance with a girlfriend and we agreed we would meet the next day. Six months later, March 12, 2005, we were married and from that day on, we did everything together. He would often say, I really like it when we work on things together, and I had lots of things for him to do.
We moved to Happy Hills, just outside of Embro, to downsize and hopefully buy a cottage between the kids in Pembroke and here. Again the economy took a downturn and a cottage was out of the question but we had lots of projects. Ken worked as a Heavy Equipment Operator, and five years ago when work got tough, Ken took a job in Georgetown where he would stay in a camping trailer during the week and come home on Friday night. Then in 2017, Ken had heart attack. He recovered but never enough to return to work. 2019 Ken was diagnosed with Tongue Cancer. Ken survived the surgery, of which I was overjoyed and received Chemo and Radiation treatment. Then in March of this year the pain came back and so we had more tests down. The pain was escalating. More cancer was found in the jaw and it was aggressive. The pain was so intense we couldn’t control it.
On July 10, Jason, Mary and the kids come and Ken had two wonderful days with them. After the kids left to go home, Ken went to lay down. When I checked him a little later, he was unresponsive. I called the kids and Barry and Carol. Our neighbour, Pat came to my rescue, as she had worked with palliative care patients. She just took over and confirmed he was going to leave us. Thank you so much Pat for everything you did. You were a godsend to Ken and I. I told Ken to wait for Barry and Carol, who were on their way. Some neighbours came to say goodbye and then Ken and I listened to country music together and waited for Barry and Carol. I kept saying, they’re coming. They arrived and about a half hour later, Ken finished his journey to heaven (maybe heaven could only let so many in at a time too).
That morning, while Carol, Barry and I were having breakfast, Barry said, “I am sad but my heart is so full of happiness because Ken has no more pain” and Carol and I both agreed.
I love you baby. I am glad you are pain free. I will always love you and miss you. I will remember you and I will set you free.
In lieu of flowers a donation can be made in Ken’s name to the local Food Bank or a charity of your choice.
June 24, 1953 to July 12, 2020
Husband of Helen and the late Connie (2000)
Brother of Edward, Tom, Dave, and Barry
Father of Audra and Jason (Mary)
Step-Father of Evan (Melissa) and Tommy (Sarah)
Grandfather of Kyle, Isaac, Sam, Geillis, Harland, Emma-rae, Finn, Richard, Jenna, and Cashten
Great-Grandfather of Temperance and Victoria
Ken was born and raised in the Woodstock area where he married his first love Connie Gingerich and they had two beautiful children, Audra, and Jason. When jobs were slowing down in the area, Ken moved his family north and bought a farm (he always was a farm boy at heart). He had his own logging business, K.E.T., which he ran a few years until the economy changed and Ken went to work on the railroad building tracks. Due to being away from his family so much, Ken left the railroad and got a job at the local wafer board factory in Englehart where he worked for a number of years. Ken loved working with his hands, building stuff. Even when he was so sick and in pain with cancer, he built beautiful planter boxes for our vegetable garden and a one of kind mailbox. Ken loved to do automotive body work and paint cars. He was also a certified arborist. He would never back down from a challenge. Ken was a very safety conscientious person and received an award at the wafer mill for 1,000,000 man hours accident free. Ken was a joker and had that “joker smile”. Ken always wanted to make everyone laugh.
When Connie passed away in 2000 from cancer, Ken decided it was a time to move back home to where the “corn grows” (the Woodstock area).
Ken’s sister-in-law, Carol, aka Gladys, wanted Ken and I to meet. I had knew of Ken all of my life. Finally, September 2004, I agreed to call Ken and we talked. I had plans to go to a singles dance with a girlfriend and we agreed we would meet the next day. Six months later, March 12, 2005, we were married and from that day on, we did everything together. He would often say, I really like it when we work on things together, and I had lots of things for him to do.
We moved to Happy Hills, just outside of Embro, to downsize and hopefully buy a cottage between the kids in Pembroke and here. Again the economy took a downturn and a cottage was out of the question but we had lots of projects. Ken worked as a Heavy Equipment Operator, and five years ago when work got tough, Ken took a job in Georgetown where he would stay in a camping trailer during the week and come home on Friday night. Then in 2017, Ken had heart attack. He recovered but never enough to return to work. 2019 Ken was diagnosed with Tongue Cancer. Ken survived the surgery, of which I was overjoyed and received Chemo and Radiation treatment. Then in March of this year the pain came back and so we had more tests down. The pain was escalating. More cancer was found in the jaw and it was aggressive. The pain was so intense we couldn’t control it.
On July 10, Jason, Mary and the kids come and Ken had two wonderful days with them. After the kids left to go home, Ken went to lay down. When I checked him a little later, he was unresponsive. I called the kids and Barry and Carol. Our neighbour, Pat came to my rescue, as she had worked with palliative care patients. She just took over and confirmed he was going to leave us. Thank you so much Pat for everything you did. You were a godsend to Ken and I. I told Ken to wait for Barry and Carol, who were on their way. Some neighbours came to say goodbye and then Ken and I listened to country music together and waited for Barry and Carol. I kept saying, they’re coming. They arrived and about a half hour later, Ken finished his journey to heaven (maybe heaven could only let so many in at a time too).
That morning, while Carol, Barry and I were having breakfast, Barry said, “I am sad but my heart is so full of happiness because Ken has no more pain” and Carol and I both agreed.
I love you baby. I am glad you are pain free. I will always love you and miss you. I will remember you and I will set you free.
In lieu of flowers a donation can be made in Ken’s name to the local Food Bank or a charity of your choice.