Robert Blythe Tucker passed away at home after a long illness. He was preceded in death by parents Dr. Cecil Blythe and Martha Ella Page Tucker of Nashville, and sister Julia Page Tucker Rhyne of Montgomery, Alabama.

He is survived by wife Patricia Joe Tucker of 66 years, four children, Lisa Tucker Swicegood of Nolensville, Dr. Robert Blythe Tucker, Jr. and wife Denise of Charleston, South Carolina, Julia Tucker Ozburn of Nolensville, and James Patrick Tucker of Charleston, South Carolina: twelve grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Mr. Tucker was born in Knoxville on June 2, 1933, but spent his formative years in Nashville. He graduated from Duncan College Preparatory School For Boys in Nashville and attended University of Tennessee at Knoxville before joining the Air Force in 1953. He served in the 9th Radio Relay Squadron Tactical Air Command in Korea and stateside at radio sites in the southeast.

After military service, he graduated from MTSU with a B.S. in Mathematics and began work in the Bridge Division of the state of Tennessee. That was followed by employment in Huntsville, Alabama at Redstone Arsenal with Brown Engineering, Chrysler, and General Electric during the space race years. Afterwards, he worked with General Electric IT division in Columbus, Ohio and Slidell, Louisiana.

After moving his family to a new home every two years, Bob settled in Brentwood and returned to state government as IT manager in Finance Administration. As such, he was involved with Welfare, Transportation, Wildlife Resources, Corrections, Budget and Finance Divisions. At one point in his work history, he started his own data processing companies, specifically automating physician’s office practices in Chattanooga, Columbia and Nashville. In his spare time, he developed Real estate in Hohenwald.

Bob’s greatest loves were his family, the outdoors, hunting and fishing, and the Air Force in that order. He was present at his children’s events, impressed upon them the importance of higher education, and taught them what it was to ramble in the woods and to hunt doves and deer. Bob even shared with his wife his love for hunting by taking her on a dove hunt 24 days before his first child was born.

Bob was a great raconteur. He could spin a humorous tale about visiting his grandparents in Orange Park, Florida, fishing with his grandmother and bringing a squirrel home on the train to name a few. He drove an ambulance while a student at UT, and his adventures there were legend. Korea offered a rich background for many tales, some hilarious, some sad.

His family and friends will miss his generosity, his sense of humor and his enduring ability to find a positive side to what seemed like hopeless situation.

Tullahoma News – April 29, 2026