Hayes "Wink" Tucker, 83, of Maple Bay, MN, died on Monday, January 26, 2015, at the Fair Meadow Nursing Home, Fertile, MN. He was born on June 1, 1931, to John and Wilma (Fortenberg) Tucker in Carthage, Mississippi. As a youngster, he was given the nickname "Wink" because of his sensitivity to light. He graduated from Carthage High School in 1949, and went on to East Central Junior College in Decatur, MS, studying pre-med. Wink joined the United States Navy on July 15, 1950, and was trained as a Hospital Corpsmen. While in the Navy, Wink was stationed at Portsmouth, NH, where he met Juliette Tessier. On September 29, 1951, Wink was united in marriage to Juliette. During his service years, Wink was stationed on Navel Transport Ships during the Korean War. He was honorably discharged on March 25, 1954.
Following Wink's discharge, he began studying Optometry at University of California Berkley. Wink and Juliette adopted their infant son and daughter, Kyle, in 1962, and Michele in 1964. Wink graduated as a Doctor of Optometry in 1959. He practiced in California until his retirement in 1999. In 1989, Juliette died of complications of diabetes. He met Ann (Rasmussen) Abrahamson while visiting his son, Kyle, at U.N.D. They were married on December 26, 1992. They lived in Newark, CA and Truckee, CA, till retirement, and then they moved to Maple Bay, MN in 2001, to be near family. He and Ann began attending Maple Bay Free Lutheran Church, where they grew in their faith and made many new and dear friends.
Wink was a true "Southern Gentleman" in every aspect of his life. His gentle and caring nature was seen in everything he did. Whether Wink was outside keeping up the yard and garden or inside ironing or cooking, fishing was on his mind. He loved to fish at Lake Tahoe in California and Lake of the Woods in Minnesota. Wink also fished in many of the area lakes. Being with his Men's Church group playing golf and visiting with them afterward was a weekly highlight for Wink. He loved his children and grandchildren, as well as his beloved Ann, very much and would do anything for them.
Wink is survived by his wife, Ann, Maple Bay, MN; one son, Kyle (Becky) Tucker, rural Gary, MN; one daughter: Michele Tucker, San Francisco, CA; two step-sons: Lee (Cindy) Abrahamson, Fertile, MN; and Tim (Tracy) Abrahamson, Coeur d' Alene, ID; one step daughter-in-law, Vieng Abrahamson, Fertile, MN; six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren; two sister-in-laws: Vera Tucker, Mobile, AL; and Cecile Clark, Dover, NH; nephews and nieces; and special friends, David and Claudia Sorvig, Maple Bay, MN. He was preceded in death by his parents, wife, Juliette, step-son, Mark Abrahamson, two brothers: Wesley and Jim; and one sister: Lorena Murphy.

Memorial services will be on Friday, January 30, 2015, at 11 AM, in the Maple Bay Free Lutheran Church, Maple Bay, MN.

Visitation will be on Thursday, January 29, 2015, from 5-7 PM with a prayer service at 6:30 PM in the Erikson-Vik-Ganje Funeral Home, Fertile, MN.

Burial will be at the Maple Bay Free Lutheran Cemetery, Maple Bay, MN.

Erikson-Vik-Ganje Funeral Home Fertile, MN www.eriksonvikfh.com