Lawrence Tucker

Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Lawrence M. Tucker, 82, of Ashburn, Va., passed away Saturday, June 29, 2013, at the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Martinsburg, W.Va.

A native of Southern Illinois, he was born Sept. 3, 1930, son of Lawrence H. and Esther A. Winn Tucker.

He was preceded in death by his parents; and two brothers, Franklin Marion Tucker and Earl Sherman Tucker.

Survivors include a sister, Helen Oxford of McClure, Ill.; two sons, Lawrence M. Tucker Jr. of Williamsburg, Va., and Martin W. Tucker of Ashburn.

Tucker entered the Army from Illinois in July 1948 and was immediately assigned to the U.S. Army Occupation Forces in Vaihingen, Germany. He served in various locations across the globe during his 30 years of distinguished military service.

In 1964, Tucker was promoted to sergeant major and was the youngest sergeant major in the U.S. Army at that time. In February 1973, he was assigned as command sergeant major of the United States Theater Army Support Command, Europe, the largest peacetime logistical organization in the history of the U.S. Army.

Organizational elements of this command were in 267 cities in 13 European countries and had more than 260,000 assigned personnel. When this tour of duty was completed in September 1974, he was returned to Fort Lee, Va., where he again assumed the position as command sergeant major of the U.S. Army Quartermaster Center and Fort Lee, and continued in this assignment until his retirement from active duty July 31, 1978.

During his long and distinguished career with the Army, Tucker received numerous awards and decorations, among them the Meritorious Service Medal, Bronze Star and Legion of Merit. He was most recently inducted as a distinguished member of the Quartermaster Regiment in Fort Lee.

After retiring from active military service, Tucker earned a bachelor of arts degree from St. Leo University and worked in civil service several years.

He was a loving and devoted husband to his wife of 60 years, Charlotte M. Tucker, who preceded him in death in 2010. Before his passing, he resided in Ashburn with his youngest son Martin, and his wife, Aimee, and their two sons.

Visitation and service will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Colonial Funeral Home, 201 Edwards Ferry Road, Leesburg, Va.

Interment with full military honors is planned at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Arcola Pleasant Valley Volunteer Fire Department, arcolavfd.org.

Condolences may be made at colonialfuneralhome.com.