The campus community mourns the passing of Theodore Tucker “Tuck” Orbison, 97, who died on Tuesday, Dec. 6. Tuck retired as professor of English in 1991 after more than 29 years of service to Bucknell.
Tuck taught Elizabethan drama and modern American literature, and was remembered as a kind colleague and respected teacher. His published works include The Tragic Vision of John Ford (1974) and a journal article on modern drama. He also edited The Binding of Proteus: Perspectives on Myth and the Literary Process and co-edited The Middle Temple Documents Relating to George Chapman’s ‘The Memorable Masque.’
Included below is the complete text of the obituary, as provided by the family.
I encourage you to visit our In Memoriam site to share personal notes of sympathy and remembrance with others.
On behalf of our entire University community, I extend our deepest sympathies to Tuck’s family, as well as to all who knew him at Bucknell.
John C. Bravman
President
Theodore Tucker Orbison, known to most as Tuck, was born a twin on Aug. 8, 1925, to Katherine Barnard Tucker Orbison and Douglas Campbell Orbison in Albany, New York. His twin brother, Douglas Campbell Orbison who preceded him in death on Dec. 6, 2006, was known as Nip. And so, the brothers were Nip and Tuck. Their sister, Nancy, born when the twins were 13 years old, passed away in 1988.
Tuck began his education at New York City’s The Dalton School, progressing to The Harvey School in Westchester County. He then boarded at the Millbrook School, a preparatory school where he developed a lifelong love of tennis. He matriculated at Yale College (University) in 1943, only to be drafted into the U.S. Army after a single semester. He served with the 86th Blackhawk Infantry Division from 1944 to 1947, serving in both Germany and the Philippines. It was during his service that Tucker recognized his fascination with and skill for teaching. Later, Tuck wrote and published a book on his time in the military, “Private Lessons — A Memoir of World War II” in 1999. After demobilization, Tuck returned to Yale, where he graduated with a bachelor of arts degree in English literature in 1949.
On Sept. 10,1948, Tuck married the love of his life, Edith Vaillant Julier (Val) in Chappaqua, N.Y. They remained by each other’s sides until his death.
The couple began their family together after Tuck took a job at Avon Old Farms, a secondary school in Connecticut, employed as an English teacher. Their children Stephen Wentworth, David Vaillant and Katherine Tucker were born in 1950, 1952 and 1954. Tuck earned his master’s at Trinity College, and finally, his PhD in English from Boston University. The family lived in Needham, Massachusetts, and welcomed Michael Harris, their fourth child in 1957.
In 1961, Tuck obtained a position as an Assistant Professor at Bucknell University in Lewisburg, Pa. He was later promoted to Professor of English and taught Elizabethan Drama and Modern American literature for 30 years. He became known as “Easy D Orbison” at Bucknell due to his high standards and rigorous grading system. In reality, Professor Orbison had many devoted students throughout the years and was greatly respected by his colleagues.
Val and Tuck remained in Lewisburg, but they spent their summers in Cape Cod, Massachusetts. For many years, they had enjoyed a home in Osterville, where they entertained family and spent many pleasant afternoons on Nantucket Bay, aboard their boat, “Ariel.” Tuck was an avid beachcomber and collected interesting driftwood and shells. Tuck was also a devout reader, and was well known for his great accumulations of New York Times, New Yorkers, National Geographies, and any books he happened to be reading, all stacked up on a table beside his living room chair. No La-Z-Boy for this man — always a straight and proper chair, most likely a hand-me-down from his beloved Mount Kisco, N.Y., childhood home. He always wore a light-weight V-neck sweater, no matter the weather. Tuck was a great supporter of The Audubon Society and several conservation groups. Tuck was a diehard New York Yankees fan. Perhaps his most enduring love, besides his human family — and, in truth, they WERE family – were his Golden Retrievers. You could always find one warming his feet, Tuck’s hand always gently patting them. In his latter years, their faithful Welsh Corgi, Louie, served this vital role.
Tuck is survived by his wife of 74 years, Val, and four children, Stephen, David, Kitsie and Michael, along with 12 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.
The family is being assisted by Cronrath-Grenoble Funeral Home, South Second and St. Louis streets, Lewisburg.
Expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.cronrathgrenoblefuneralhome. com