"Leroy"
With an imposing stature, a deep baritone voice and piercing eyes that have seen more than most ordinary men stands Leroy Tucker. In working on my "Fadin' Renegade" project I was blessed with the opportunity to spend Saturday morning with Leroy and Velma Tucker at their "ranchito" near Roosevelt Lake. We spoke at length about the way things were done in the "good old days", the years spent ranching and his time rodeoing. At nearly 88, he has spent most of his life ranching, starting at 6 years old at Greenback Valley, then to Roosevelt in '44, and on to Kansas and New Mexico. He credits all of his success to his bride of 60 years, saying "we make a great team". In fact, as he was reflecting on a memory of Velma from long ago his piercing eyes lit up and his face broke into a big ol' grin. He's as proud of her today as the day they met. In speaking with Velma, I know that the feeling is mutual.
Leroy Tucker ~ Roosevelt, Arizona
