Tuckers Funeral and Bereavement Services is one of the longest-serving businesses in Geelong, with a history dating back 135 years.
Frank Henry Tucker founded the business as FH Tucker & Son at Wycheproof in 1883 before Frank’s son, Charles, relocated the firm to Geelong West in 1925.
Underscoring the company’s community links, Charles Tucker was a Geelong West councillor for 13 years and a mayor from 1945 to 1946.
Long-term employee Les Cole became a shareholder and manager with the wife of Charlie after he died in 1954. The Cole family eventually assumed full ownership but maintained the Tuckers name.
In 1972 the company extended its community links, employing respected local community figure and church leader Ross Allen.
Les spent 60 years in the business, with son Trevor continuing the family tradition and opening Tuckers’ Grovedale funeral home in 1985.
In 2007 Tuckers acquired the Geelong and Lara divisions of Tattersall Funeral Care, the former of which was named Hepner Funeral Service.
In 2008 Mark and Kathy Osborne became partners in Tuckers before joining the Cole family in a major redevelopment of the Geelong West funeral parlour the following year.
Two years later Tuckers opened its Highton funeral home at the Barrabool Hills Centre.
InvoCare Australia bought Tuckers shares in late 2012, adding the company to a national and international group of funeral-services providers.
Now Geelong’s Tuckers Funeral and Bereavement Services is the largest regional funeral director in Victoria.
