Ray was born at home in Hibbard, Idaho on September 7, 1920. He lived on a 240 acre farm where the family hand milked 26 head of cows. When Ray was 8 years old he learned to trap wild animals, skin them out and stretch their hides. Later when he attended Madison High School in Rexburg, he wrapped the hides in brown paper and carried them with him to sell to a fur buyer. At 15 years of age, when wages were 25 cents an hour, he thinned sugar beets for $8 an acre. When he was 17 he worked on a hay ranch in Horse Prairie, Montana. In December of 1942 he was inducted into the army and served in the 119th Regiment of the 30th Infantry Division as a carbine expert and squad leader. He handled all types of infantry weapons and explosives and was responsible for maintenance, and firing of a heavy machine gun. He served in Normandy on Omaha Beach, in Northern France, the Ardennes, Central Europe and the Rhineland. He was awarded the good conduct medal and the European African Middle Eastern Service medal. He received the Silver Star for gallantry in action on the Siegfried line. The following article from WW II combat history states: "The enemy fire so completely covered the terrain that our riflemen fired a round or two at a time before ducking into their foxholes and then looked out to fire again. Pfc Harmon Butler and Pfc Ray Tuckett left their foxholes to man their machine guns in spite of the intense enemy fire. They were alone manning their guns, for the other members were firing rifles to build up a section fire line against the enemy. Pvt Samuel Breyer had a foxhole between the two machine guns and by running out under terrific fire he kept them supplies with ammunition. Small arms fire struck both guns, damaging them in such a manner that they could only be traversed by dragging the tripod from side to side. They fired 5,500 rounds with the enemy dead piled up as close as 15 yards." Three days after the action on the Siegfried line Ray was awarded the Purple Heart for shrapnel injuries suffered in the battle for the Aachen Gap. The 30th Division was awarded the Presidential Citation. They were nicknamed "Old Hickory 30." The Germans referred to them as Roosevelt's SS troops. Ray was discharged from the army in 1945. He married Ruth Haynes in Butte, Montana in 1946. The marriage was later solemnized in the Salt Lake Temple. Ray and Ruth lived in Dillon, Montana where Ray worked on a cattle ranch. Later they moved to Cave Falls, Idaho where he worked at his brother's sawmill. They moved to Harlem, Montana where Ray leased land and farmed while working at the Chinook Sugar refinery in Havre. Then he moved to Kearney, Missouri where he operated a dairy before moving back to Rexburg where the family purchased a home. Ray helped to construct the Madison Memorial Hospital. After the family moved to Harrah, Washington and leased land on the Yakima Indian Reservation. At this time veterans were given preference for their names to be drawn for farms in the Columbia Basin. The family cleared sagebrush from Unit 180 in Block 18 and laid out hand lines for irrigation. They remodeled a duplex apartment moved in from Hanford. Ray served as a farm bureau director and helped recruit members. He and other area farmers plowed land to raise money for the Connell Fall Festival. He chaired a calf project to help raise funds to build the Basin City Chapel. Ray loved his farm and was happiest when he was seated on his old tractor. He loved his family, his country, and the American Flag. Ray passed away peacefully on January 1st in Yakima comforted by family members. Ray was preceded in death by his wife of 68 years Ruth Haynes, his parents Charles and Evelyn Tuckett, five brothers, two sisters and one granddaughter. He is survived by his 6 children 32 Grandchildren and 74 Great Grandchildren. Services will be held January 9th at Basin City LDS Church, 160 Baillie Blvd, Viewing at 10AM, Church services at 11AM burial to follow at Country View Cemetery. A Celebration of Life at 1PM following above services in the Basin City LDS Cultural Hall.