Remembering Jack Tucker: A BC Curling and Brier Competitor
Curl BC is remembering Jack Edward Tucker, a former B.C. curling champion and two-time Brier competitor, who passed away April 29, 2026, in Surrey at the age of 85.
Born in Kelowna, Tucker grew up playing hockey and curling, eventually competing at the highest level of men’s curling in Canada.
Photo provided by Warren Hansen
Tucker first represented British Columbia at the 1968 Brier as third for skip Bob McCubbin, alongside Ted Trimble and their fourth teammate. Tucker is pictured on the left in the team photo, with McCubbin on the right.
Photo provided by Warren Hansen
Five years later, Tucker returned to the Brier as skip of the 1973 B.C. team, alongside Gerry Peckham, Jim Armstrong and Bernie Sparkes. All three of Tucker’s teammates would later be inducted into the B.C. Curling Hall of Fame.
The 1973 Brier, held in Edmonton, also featured an unusual chapter in B.C. curling history. Armstrong injured his wrist during the third game and could no longer play. Under the rules at the time, teams could not replace an injured player, but could bring in a local sweeper. Warren Hansen, who was living in Edmonton, joined the team for the remaining games.
Hansen recalls Tucker as “a great guy” and remembers the 1973 Brier as the beginning of his long relationship with Peckham and Armstrong.
Tucker’s calmness and competitive nature extended beyond curling. He served as a Royal Canadian Navy pilot before joining Canadian Pacific Airlines, later becoming a chief trainer with Mandarin Airlines. He also served as a curling judge during the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.
Tucker remained connected to curling throughout his life, leaving behind a place in BC’s Brier history.
For more on Jack Tucker’s remarkable life and career, read Jennifer Power’s obituary in The Globe and Mail.
Curl BC extends its condolences to Tucker’s family, friends and curling community.
