John "Bill" William Tucker

A long-time resident of Huntington Woods, Michigan, Bill began his celebrated career in St. Louis during the 1950s and was inducted into the ABC (now United States Bowling Congress) Hall of Fame in 1988. Despite a cracked femur in his 80s, Bill continued to bowl, teach, drill and fit equipment, and enthusiastically promote his beloved sport until he officially retired and closed his Pro Shop in late 2014. Throughout his lengthy career his one regret was never having won the PBA Tournament of Champions. Other achievements and honors were many, varied and not so elusive: He won the USBC Open Championships doubles in 1958 leading the teams pinfall total with a 731 set. In 1968 he rolled a 300 game to lead he and Don Johnson to the Classic Doubles title. He added another perfect game in the 1971 Masters finals to become the first bowler to roll two 300 games on Open Championships lanes. He won the 1961 BPAA All-Star tournament in San Bernardino the first year in which he qualified. In the 100-game tournament he outdistanced runner up Dick Weber 13,924 to 13,561 in total pinfall. And, ever a student of the game, his knowledge of physics prompted him to develop “Tucker’s Wheels,” a method of drilling balls to increase pinfall and scores.

Bill was born on October 10, 1926 in Perryville, Missouri. He served his country as a PFC in the United States Army during World War II. On March 29, 1970 he married Paula McKinney and became father to her son. The two formed an immediate bond that lasted a lifetime. Bill and Paula shared their home and life with Paula’s mother for more than 30 years.

Bill was an avid Detroit Tiger’s baseball fan for decades. He loved dogs. He could often be found in the garden or tinkering in his workshop, and was a skilled carpenter. Bill was the kind of man that others called on when they needed help.

Bill and Paula moved to Gilbert, Arizona in 2016 to be close to family. After a prolonged illness, he passed away at home with his wife by his side. Their love affair lasted 48 years.

He is survived by his wife, Paula, of Gilbert, AZ; his son, Michael and daughter-in-law Theresa, also of Gilbert, AZ; their two sons, Cary and Jacob; and a daughter and her family from an earlier marriage.

To leave condolences or memories of Bill for the family simply access www.dignitymemorial.com /obituaries. In lieu of flowers, donations to any Animal Rescue organization or a favorite charity are welcome. Additional information can be found on Bowl.com.

Funeral services will be held on Tuesday, November 13, 2018, 1:30 pm at National Memorial Cemetery of Arizona, 23029 N. Cave Creek Road, Phoenix, AZ 85024.