Saturday, December 29, 2007

Loss of Golden Gate CRFGer

Jack Tucker, husband of Gail Morrison, died on December 27th after a massive stroke. He was a writer, actor and theater critic who spent years encouraging local theater productions. He was also an artist who made beautiful Chinese brush paintings which sold as Christmas cards this holiday season.

He retired from reviewing community theater productions two years ago at the age of 91. Jack is in the Guinness Book of Records as oldest known newspaper columnist in the world. After he retired, he continued to attend local productions and post his reviews on his website clickjacktucker.com.

It was always hard to catch up with Jack and Gail, since they were attending plays almost every weekend and somehow still managed their edible landscape of over 100 vegetables and fruits in their Richmond garden. I enjoyed hearing them plan meals following the seasons in their garden rather than relying on the grocery store. They were one step up even from the new locovores! However, friendship has it price. When they were flooded with early pears in the fall, I would return from a visit with a large care package. They had the advantage - their pears produced first so I could not pawn off my pears in exchange! In this coming year Gail will have twice as many vegetables and fruit to eat so will not take so kindly to having excess fruit snuck onto her doorstep.

Jack and Gail always came to CRFG meetings and conferences together. He was fully behind Gail when she wanted to produce our newsletter (which she did for many years) and proofread most of the copy. He was also in her corner when she worked with our website for the annual CRFG conference held in Northern California.

He was truly an unusual, talented, and caring person who will be missed. Here are two obituaries:
Contra Costa Times (If asked for registration, username: joemail@gmail.com, password: 4joemail)
ClickJackTucker.com

- Idell Weydemeyer