Charles Richard "Sonny" Tucker, 85, died peacefully September 8 at his home in Birdsville, less than a year after being diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis.
Sonny lived on the farm known as Bessonton for 46 years. Born on January 23, 1928 at his grandmother's house in Putty Hill in Baltimore to the late Richard B. and Anne E. Hack Tucker, Sonny grew up in Birdsville. He could be found helping his father with the family store and small farm.
He attended Owensville Elementary and Annapolis High School where he graduated early to join the Army and serve in World War II. He was in basic training in Alabama when the war ended and he stayed in the Army, becoming a photographer.He was stationed in Alaska, Colorado, Florida, and Iceland where his work included surveillance of Russian naval activity in the North Atlantic.In 1949, he was honorably discharged from the newly formed Air Force with the rank of Sergeant. He returned to the Birdsville area where he attended the University of Maryland for one year. In 1951, he was hired as a lineman by C&P Telephone Co. After an accident, which crushed his left foot and ankle, the company moved him into Engineering where he worked to install and troubleshoot early switch equipment.In 1992, he retired from Verizon as an outside plant engineer associate, having served the company for 41 years. Sonny purchased Bessonton Farm around 1950. There, he raised beef cattle, boarded horses, and grew corn, hay and tobacco.
In 1967, he married Miriam D. "Bunny" Tucker and later that year they built a house on the farm where they raised their three children: Cindy, Matt and Curt. For most of his adult life, Sonny was involved in and held key positions in the following organizations: Chesapeake Environmental Protection Association, President and Board Member; Calvert Cliffs Coordinating Committee, President; Save Our Streams, Board Member; Anne Arundel County Bay Savers, Trustee; South County Zoning Coordinating Committee, President; South County Coalition, Board Member; Davidsonville Civic Association, Member; Harwood Civic Association, Board Member; Birdsville Civic Association, President; Anne Arundel County Farm Bureau, Member; Quaker Burying Grounds, Trustee; Anne Arundel County Farm Preservation Advisory Board, Member; Anne Arundel County Executive Transition Team, Member (Bob Pascal, Jim Lighthizer, John Gary, and Janet Owens); Anne Arundel Preservation Oversight Committee, Chairman. He particularly enjoyed his work in preserving open space, and other environmental conservation initiatives. After retiring from Verizon, Sonny took up flying with his son at a local airport and bought a partnership in an airplane. He traveled with his family to Europe on several occasions and traveled around the United States. His other hobbies included tractor pulling, hunting and repairing farm equipment.
He was a long time member of Davidsonville United Methodist Church and recently attended Chesapeake Christian Fellowship. He practiced his faith, and was known as being repentant of his sins until his death. Sonny was also dedicated to his beloved Weimaraner, Duke.
In addition to his parents, Sonny was preceded in death by his brother, Thomas H. Tucker. In addition to his wife, he is survived by a daughter, Cynthia (Bill) Mueller; two sons, Matthew (April) Tucker and Curt Tucker; seven grandchildren, Kathryn, Carolanne, Coralee, Grace, Evelyn, Ethan and Elise; a brother-in-law Ted (Donna) Brown; a sister-in-law Christine Tucker; and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.
The family will receive visitors from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, September 12, at the George P. Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Rd., Edgewater, where a funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. on Friday, September 13. Interment will be in Lakemont Memorial Gardens, Davidsonville. Donations may be made to Chesapeake Christian Fellowship, 377 W Central Ave., Davidsonville, MD 21035 or the . An online guestbook is available at: www.kalasfuneralhomes.com
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