Tristan Mark Tucker

Tristan was born in Ogden, Utah to Melinda “Mindy” Tucker and Mark “Evan” Tucker. He was a beloved son, brother, friend, protector, comedian, dreamer, and an unforgettable presence in the lives of everyone lucky enough to know him.

Tristan was the kind of person who was completely and fearlessly himself. He was genuine, deeply compassionate, fiercely loyal, endlessly funny, and full of life. He loved his family and friends openly and without embarrassment, and he never hesitated to tell the people he cared about that he loved them.

Family was at the center of Tristan’s world. He shared an especially close relationship with his mom and his brothers, Evan Grant Tucker, Austin Teal Tucker, and Kingston Larry Anthony Leavitt. Tristan was a devoted big brother and helped care for Kingston while completing school from home. He was protective of all of his brothers, his mom, and even Coraline, the family’s old, hairless, and wonderfully wrinkly cat. Tristan could always be counted on when his family needed him.

Tristan had the mind of an engineer and the imagination of an artist from the time he was little. As a child, he was fascinated by anything that could fly. He loved balloons so much that one of his birthday parties consisted largely of a helium tank and balloons, which was pretty much perfect in Tristan’s eyes. Before he ever dreamed about airplanes, he wanted a hot-air balloon. Later, he hoped to learn to fly a plane—not necessarily as a career, but simply because Tristan wanted to experience everything he possibly could.

He built elaborate model boats from rolled paper without instructions, loved fire and fireworks, stayed up far too late, listened to old show tunes with his friends, and made people laugh constantly. At more than six feet tall by 17, he earned the nickname “Big T.”

Tristan’s favorite things included hot dogs and Dr Pepper, two things that became so unmistakably associated with him that anyone who loved Tristan will probably never look at either one quite the same way again.

But what Tristan loved most was people.

He was the friend who stood up for you. The friend who made you laugh. The friend who said, “I love you,” and meant it. He valued relationships deeply and understood, even at 17, something many people spend a lifetime learning: the people we love matter more than almost anything else.

Tristan dreamed of traveling the world. His family intends to carry that dream forward, visiting the places he hoped to see and taking his memory with them.

He is survived by his mother, Melinda Tucker; his father, Mark Tucker; his brothers, Evan Grant Tucker, Austin Teal Tucker, and Kingston Larry Anthony Leavitt; along with an enormous circle of friends and loved ones whose lives are forever changed because Tristan was part of them.

Tristan lived only 17 years, but the amount of love, laughter, friendship, and life he fit into those years was extraordinary.

He was loved beyond measure. And he will never, ever be forgotten.

Everyone is welcome to attend the combined service for Tristan, Braden, Tyler, Titus, & William, which will be held at the Las Colonias Park Amphitheatre at 925 Struthers Ave in Grand Junction on Wednesday, September 9, 2026. Doors will open at 5:30pm.