Obituary of Laurie Lee Tucker

Laurie Lee Tucker "Susie” 1956 ~ 2011 When I first had the pleasure of joining this family, I quickly learned nicknames go along with each one of them. So today we are gathered to pay our respects to Laurie, Susie, Tuckie, Buddy, or Suz. Susie was born on April 17, 1956 in Vancouver, Washington. She was born with big brown eyes and a head full of curls. That curly hair drove her crazy all of her life. The first two years were spent in Washington before the family returned to live in Southern Alberta . When Susie was 6 years old they were on the move to Hudson’s Hope. It was here that she spent her early years. She liked school and always had good grades. Her summers were spent at the outdoor pool where she became a strong swimmer. She continued to swim throughout her life. The winters were spent at the outdoor arena where she learned to figure-skate, and went on to give lessons. It was in Hudson’s Hope that she made some lifetime friends like Heather McNair and Debbie Galbraith. Her somewhat adventurous spirit had her and friend Debbie convinced Jessie Jobe to buy them a pack of Peter Jackson cigarettes, the one with the "horse” on it. While sitting on the top of Jamieson Hill they smoked themselves green. In 1972, she moved to Dawson Creek, and was happy to call this home. Susie didn’t follow the norm; her jobs always seemed to be non-traditional for a young lady. She pumped gas, worked in the kitchen at the Alaska cafe, picked pine cones...always looking for that mother lode "cash” and finally landed her first real job on the green chain at the sawmill. While at the sawmill, the enticement of a 25 cent raise if she completed a first aid course, eventually led her to owning her own company Direct First Aid, which she owned and operated for 30 years. The company was started with her dear friend Mike Otto. Eventually Susie bought Mike out, and brought her aunt Jean on board. Margaret or BB, was always there to help Jean get the books set up properly and remained a dear friend to them both. Through the years, Susie and Mom shared a lot of hard work, and prosperity, but no wealth was equal to the bond they formed, and even though they were related, they became the best of friends. Susie became a member of the operating engineers union, and worked all over the province. She believed in the union and was a proud member. It is said if a person has one "true” friend in a lifetime, they should consider themselves blessed. When I look around this room at all the friends Susie had, I would say she was more than blessed. She had friend’s young and old and made time for them all. You have to "be” a good friend, to have good friends. Susie made friendship easy. Susie’s true passion was in the world of horses. One might say it was born and bred through the Tucker/Morrison line. Her father Harold was "horse crazy”, and always dreamed of going to the Kentucky Derby...the greatest race of all. Susie fulfilled this dream by taking him and an old friend to this incredible event. Susie however let it be known that those famous derby drinks, the "Mint Julip” were not all they were cracked up to be. She had many horses over the years, each one of them special to her. Her pride and joy was her thoroughbred stud "Damone”, who has left his own legacy in the Peace, one being "Damona Lisa”, owned by Vera and Curtis Lindballe. We Know through the Lindballe family, Susie’s dream will live on. When she bought her acreage in Pouce Coupe, she had her ideal set up. Every day she could look out her kitchen window and see the animals she loved so much, her horses, her dogs and that crazy orange cat, "Miss Peaches” Suz enjoyed travel. She drove through many of the US states, and went to Europe, but Hawaii always held a special place in her heart. Many good times were spent there with one of her best friends Joanne. Even as her health started to fail, she made one final trip to Mexico. I was fortunate to share this experience with her, Vivian and our son Cruz.. Cruz adored Susie. Susie had no family of her own, so when little people came into Susie’s world her life once again changed, first with Syd and Bruin, and most recently with my children, Cruz and Dylan. When Syd was three, Suz loaded her in the truck and drove for 12 hours to Vernon, buying her everything her heart desired on the way..... Susie always treated the kids like little grown-ups. Bruin recalls playing with Syd for hours on the round bales at her place and how Nan and Sus couldn’t stop laughing, when one of Susie’s horse, bucked Bruin right out of his rubber boots. At about 5, Bruin was with Susie the first time he saw a mare being bred...Susie held nothing back, she told him that if the mare wasn’t ready, she’d kick the livin’ shit out of the male......Nice!!!! The years passed and Syd and Bruin grew, and then along came Cruz and Dylan. She spent hours playing farm animals with Cruz...she played until HE was done playing...sometimes for hours. Before Cruz turned 2, he could identify every piece of equipment in the Ritchie Brother’s catalogue...thanks to Susie Not having children of her own, she never questioned a mother’s technique. Once she came to our house to look after Cruz while I ran to town. Cruz was napping when I left. When I got home, she said....”I never changed Cruz’s diaper yet, because I wasn’t exactly sure what was going on” Here in my haste to get going, I had placed Cruz’s underwear over top of his diaper....She thought I was trying some knew potty training idea. She gave each one of them love "unconditionally”, and although Dylan will be too young to remember Susie, the other three will have memories they will never forget. Family was always important. She came to every BBQ, every birthday party, and every family dinner. But we all knew when she said "I’ve got to go home and get my pills” it really meant, I’m eaded home for a nap and probably won’t be coming back. She respected all of her family....her cousins, second cousins, aunts, uncles and made time to visit them one on one no matter how young or old, near or far. But she shared a special relationship with her Uncle Bob and the two of them had a connection like no other. One of Susie’s greatest attributes was her generosity. She asked no questions... if you needed something and she had it, she would give it to you. For those of us who knew her well, knew that she took in the whole picture, and decided what was really important......she did not sweat the small stuff. Her motto was "it’s no biggy” I believe she lived her life with no regrets. If she had a choice, of course she would have wanted to live longer, but she told her mom, she had no fear of dying. She accepted her fate and was at peace with the end. She made it clear to each of us she wanted "no pity me parties” Even though we are all saddened with her loss, there is no doubt in my mind that a family welcoming party is waiting to show her, her new home. Her dad, Granny and Grandad, Uncle Tom, Buck, Zack, Hattie and all the others that couldn’t wait to see her again. Susie passed away on Dec 04, 2011, in her own home with her family by her side to see her off........ We all love her and we’ll miss her. A memorial service was held Saturday, December 10, 2011 at the Bergeron Funeral Chapel, Dawson Creek, British Columbia. Officiated by Peggy Bergeron Expressions of sympathy in memory of Laurie to, ‘Canadian Cancer Society’ 1000-105 Avenue Dawson Creek, British Columbia V1G 2B9