VIDALIA — Services for Fielding D. Tucker, 84, of Natchez, who died Wednesday, July 29, 2009, at Natchez Community Hospital, will be at 11 a.m. Saturday at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church in Vidalia with the Rev. George Pookkattu officiating.
Burial with military honors will be at 2 p.m. at the Cedar Hill Cemetery in Vicksburg under the direction of Laird Funeral Home.
Visitation will be from 10 a.m. until service time Saturday at the church.
Mr. Tucker was born April 28, 1925, in Vicksburg, the son of Henry Thomas Tucker and Katherine Butler Tucker. He enlisted in the U.S. Army at age 18 and served two enlistments. Recipient of the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, Presidential Citation for the Battle-Of-The-Bulge and other decorations, Fielding was first stationed in Africa where he trained for the invasion of Italy. He then deployed to Italy with the 7th Army where he participated in the liberation of Rome and a number of other battles before deploying to France and participating in the D-Day invasion, Battle-Of-The-Bulge and battles throughout many villages of France.
During a number of returns to the Alsace region of France, Fielding rekindled friendships with World War II French veterans and relatives of veterans and worked with them to dedicate monuments to American soldiers who lost their lives during the liberation of France.
World War II veteran Fielding Tucker was recently named “Chevalier” (Knight) of the Legion of Honor by the president of France. The Legion d’honneur is a French order established by Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 to acknowledge services rendered by persons of great merit. The Order is the highest decoration in France.
Fielding made a number of contributions to literary organizations to honor memories of World War II comrades. “Promise Made-Promise Kept,” one of several Fielding Tucker World War II memoirs, is featured on the CNN sponsored web site, memoriesofwar.com. Fielding provided his memoirs of World War II to HBO for use in connection with the “Band of Brothers Living Memorial,” and also provided World War II letters signed with his nickname “Snippy” for inclusion in “WWII Letters,” a book being edited for Walter Cronkite.
Fielding retired as production superintendent of The Natchez Democrat after 32 years of service. He was a devout member of Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church.
He was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mary Theresia Tucker; a very special friend, Helen Roberts; one brother, Butler Tucker; one sister, Tee Roberts; and one great-grandchild, John Casey Ashley.
Survivors include five daughters, Kathy D’Antoni and husband, Paul and Mary Ann Eagle, all of Lake Charles, La., Diana Hinson, Becky Ferguson and husband, Jeff, all of Vidalia, and Janie Reyes and husband, Roy, of Ferriday; three sons, Tony Tucker and wife, Mary Kay, of Lake Charles, Ed Tucker and wife, Marie, of Natchez and Danny Tucker and wife, Donna, of Pollock, La.; one sister, Elsie Hossley of Vicksburg; 18 grandchildren; and 17 great-grandchildren.
Pallbearers will be David D’Antoni, Stephen Tucker, Roy Reyes, Michael Ferguson, Philip Tucker, Anthony Tucker and Brandon Eagle.
Honorary pallbearers will be Brian Tucker, Jeffrey Ferguson, Levi Reyes, Joseph Tucker, John D’Antoni, Ryan Eagle, Rusty Blackwell and Tony D’Antoni.
Online condolences may be sent to www.lairdfh.com.