POPULAR publican Dave Tucker, who ran The Three Willows in Birchanger in partnership with his son Paul for about 12 years, has died after a two-year fight with cancer.
The 71-year-old grandfather – known to many as ‘Wizz’ – passed away with his family around him at his home in Birchanger Lane last Thursday (Feb 9). Mr Tucker, who served as maitre d’, was still welcoming customers to the pub and restaurant up until about two weeks before he died.
Paying tribute, his son Stephen said: “He was very hard working, always rushing about doing jobs, but he always had time for people; he loved people. He lived for people, good friends and the atmosphere of the pub.”
And Paul added: “He made people feel so welcome; he has touched so many lives.”
Mr Tucker was born in Stansted and attended the village’s primary and secondary schools. After leaving school at 16, he worked as a cleaner and then fireman on the steam trains operating between Bishop’s Stortford and London Liverpool Street until he was about 19 or 20.
He then became a delivery driver for Patrick, Granger and Hutley provision merchants in Stansted and later worked as a driver for Sainsbury’s at the Buntingford distribution depot.
Mr Tucker and his wife Maureen became steward and stewardess of the Birchanger Working Men’s and Social Club in 1971. Initially he worked there only part time, and kept his job as a Sainsbury’s driver until trade picked up.
In 1983 Mr and Mrs Tucker took over the Brewery Tap in Furneux Pelham and ran the pub for about 12 years.
Mr Tucker had a life-long interest in trains and at one time was a volunteer fireman on the North Norfolk Railway heritage steam Poppy Line.
He leaves his wife, his two sons, and his four grandchildren, Hannah, Sophie, Richard and Zoe.
Mr Tucker’s funeral service will be held on Tuesday (Feb 21) at 2.45pm at the church of St Mary the Virgin, Birchanger. It will be followed by cremation at 4pm at Parndon Wood, Harlow.
Family flowers only, but donations in his memory are for Cancer Research UK and Marie Curie via funeral directors Daniel Robinson and Sons, 79/81 South Street, Bishop’s Stortford, Herts, CM23 3AL.
