Coach Luther “Mayo” Tucker, 77, of Tifton passed away Monday, December 29, 2025, at his residence. His funeral service will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, January 3, 2026, at Northside Baptist Church in Tifton with the Rev. Stacy Phillips officiating. Coach Tucker will be laid to rest at Tift Memorial Gardens. The family will receive friends on Saturday, January 3, 2026, from 1:30 to 2:30 p.m. at Northside Baptist Church in Tifton.
Jacob Scarberry, Triston Scarberry, Clint Milner, Tyler Scarberry, Marc Mercer, and Zane Grace, Ken Dunn, Keith Newell and Richard Golden will serve as pallbearers. Honorary pallbearers will be Shawn Utley, Jimmy Wood, Andy Ellis, Roy McWilliams, Doug Clements, Jimmy Camp, “Jay Bird”, Steve Chamberlain, Willie Forehand, John Davis, Dave Powell, Darrell Braswell, Jason Womack, John Womack, Justin Womack, Ricky Mayne, Monty Copeland, Todd Fordham, John West, and Johnny West.
Born December 29, 1948, in Tifton, Coach Tucker was the son of the late Mayo M. Tucker, Sr. and Elna Varnum Tucker. He graduated from Tift County High School, where he was a lineman for the Tift County Blue Devils and went on to attend the University of Georgia, where he also played for the Georgia Bulldogs under Coach Vince Dooley. Upon graduation from the University of Georgia, he earned a master’s degree in education.
“Coach Mayo” as he was affectionately known by his players was a true Blue Devil through and through and proudly a DGD. His impact on our community, his players and everyone who had the privilege of knowing him will never be forgotten. His legacy will live on in the lives he touched and the love he had for the Tift County Blue Devils. He coached at Tift County High School from 1975 until retirement and was also head football coach at Tiftarea Academy for two years.
He was also known as “The Legend” and “Babo” and will be remembered for who he truly was. Among his many hobbies were hunting and fishing, horseback riding and participating in parades. He loved buying and selling horses and cows, cattle-ranching, gardening, and grilling and having fun with his guys. His culinary interests included creaming corn and making pepper jelly, besides being a fantastic cook of specific meals and specialties that his mother taught him. He had a love for Labrador Retrievers and other pets.
Coach Tucker was a member of the Cattleman’s Association, the Tift County Saddle Club, the UGA Letterman’s Club and the High School Hall of Fame. He was also a member of Northside Baptist Church in Tifton.
Coach Tucker is survived by one son and daughter-in-law, Cody and Allison Tucker of Tifton; two daughters and one son-in-law, Kellie and Justin Cooper of Savannah and Tarah Wilson of Tifton; two sisters and brothers-in-law, Mary Ellen and Joe Mercer of Cordele and Cindy and Don Milner of Quincy, Florida; and three grandchildren, Tyler Scarberry, Jacob Scarberry and Triston Scarberry (Haley Burgess); one great-granddaughter, Stella James Scarberry; and several nieces and nephews.
Flowers will be accepted, or memorial gifts may be made to Northside Baptist Church, 4605 Murray Avenue, Tifton, GA 31794.