THE DAYTONA BEACH NEWS-JOURNAL
Daytona Beach, Florida
Wednesday, November 11, 1998RAYMOND TURCKER, NOTED FLAGLER RANCHER, DIES AT 84
By Carl Laudrie, Flagler County Bureau ChiefHAW CREEK - Raymon F. Tucker, a Flagler County rancher credited with popularizing quarter horse racing in the Southeast, died Sunday following a stroke. He was 84.
Tucker, known nationally for his champion quarter horse, "Go Dick Go," was one of Florida's leading ranchers and a respected community and church leader in Flagler County.
Some 32 years ago, Go Dick Go became the first quarter horse bred and Tucker raised east of the Mississippi River to win the All America Futurity. Go Dick Go died in 1990 of old age - but not before siring 24 stakes winners that earned some $2.4 million.
Tucker was instrumental in establishing competitive quarter horse racing in Florida by getting legislation passed permitting it at thoroughbred tracks, and by starting the Florida Quarter Horse Futurity.
He helped organize the Florida Horse Breeders Council in the early 1950s and served as its first president. Tucker also was founder and. first president of the At1antic Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association.
In addition, he served as a director of both the American Quarter Horse Association and the Florida Quarter Horse Association.
As a cattleman, Tucker bred and sold registered purebred Brahman cattle nationally and served as president of the state and Eastern U.S. Brahman Association.
He owned and operated the Haw Creek Ranch west of Bunnell with his wife of 55 years, Blanche Tilton Tucker.
After moving to Haw Creek in 1931 from his hometown of Christmas, Tucker was involved in timbering and turpentine production as well as raising cabbage and potatoes, the two main agricultural crops in Flagler County today.
Tucker graduated from the University of Florida in 1939 with a degree in animal science, and belonged to the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity.
In 1997, Tucker was inducted into Florida's Agriculture Hall of Fame for his life work in agriculture. He also was honored as the "Outstanding Man in Agriculture" by the Florida Association of County Agricultural Agents.
Tucker served on the board of Trustees for the Flor¬ida Agricultural Museum and assisted in having it sited in Flagler County two years ago.
In addition, he served on several advisory boards and committees fur the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the University of Florida's Special Help for Agricultural Research and Education Council.
Tucker helped organize and served as first president of both the Flagler County Cattlemen's Association and the Flagler County Farm Bureau.
He assisted in establishing Cracker Day in Flagler County, the annual March celebration put on by the Flagler County Cattlemen's Association to honor Flagler County's ranching and farming community.
Tucker also was active in his community and politics. He served for 20 years on the Flagler County School Board and was a board member of Memorial Health Systems.Tucker was a high priest with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. He also served in the first Bishopric of the church's Palatka Ward.
Recently, he had been working to form a coalition to advocate increased controlled burning of woodlands.
Tucker is survived by his wife; two brothers, Gilbert Tucker of Rockledge and Leslie Tucker of Haw Creek; and six daughters, Allida Heaton, Alton, Utah, Brenda Boyd, Haw Creek, Denise Barton, Haw Creek, Colleen Sorensen, Glendale, Utah; Eve Bundy, St. George, Utah, and Teresa Bowler, Cedar City, Utah. He is also survived by 36 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.
Johnson-Overturf Funeral Home in Palatka is in charge. The viewing will be from 6-8 p.m. Friday at the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Bunnell. Funeral services will be at the church at 10 a.m. Saturday. Internment will follow at San Mateo Cemetery in Putnam County.
