Clyde Lowell "Tiger" Lucken

Clyde Lowell “Tiger” Lucken peacefully passed away Saturday, December 7, 2024, at the North Little Rock VA Hospital in Arkansas after suffering a stroke several days earlier. He would have turned 88 on New Year's Eve. To many friends and business associates, he was known as Tiger, but to family he was Lowell. Born on December 31, 1937 in the Hinkle Creek community of Mississippi, Lowell was the third child and only son of Clyde and Mae Lucken. During his elementary school years, the family moved to Corinth. 

Lowell graduated from Corinth High School in 1956. During his school years, he sang in the choir, played football, baseball, and even boxed some during his teen years. Many thought he earned the nickname “Tiger” from his determination on the football field since he barely weighed 130 lbs. However, it was actually in boxing that the nickname was earned due to his tenacity in the ring. Never one to allow his short stature or lack of Herculean build to stop him, in football he played right half back on offense and linebacker on defense. He was the short stop for the 1956 Championship baseball team as well as their lead-off batter. Though right-handed, Lowell batted left-handed and had a batting average of .411 going into the championship game—the highest average on the team. Before the 1956 championship game, the varsity team had only lost two games in three years—both in the state finals during Tiger's sophomore and junior years. Years later Lowell helped establish the Elite Group which meets annually and is dedicated to reminiscing, discussing, and bragging about CHS athletic successes. 

After high school, Lowell attended Northeast Mississippi Jr. College in Booneville, where he played football and started a singing group called the HiFi's. Tiger sang bass in the quartet. The group traveled in and around north Mississippi and north Alabama entertaining on stages, schools, and colleges, and at local dances. The boys loved to harmonize and were very popular in the area. He later graduated from a mortuary college in Houston, TX, where he met his first wife. They had two daughters and eventually divorced in 1979. 

Lowell enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1959 and was a medic stationed near the DMZ in Korea. Due to the remote location and distance to the nearest hospital, he was called upon to perform some medical procedures that most medics never engage in. His years in the military did not instill any great love of camping; however, he did enjoy fishing, hunting, boating, and he truly loved to play golf. 

After returning from Korea, Lowell worked as a salesman and factory representative within the funeral industry. He moved his young family to Tifton, Georgia while he was assigned to South Carolina, Georgia and Florida for many years. During the city's 1972 centennial celebration, Lowell served as chairman of the time capsule committee and was responsible for obtaining information and items to be included in the collection. He also arranged the donation of a casket and grave vault to serve as the time capsule. Lowell also became a Freemason and a Noble of Al Menah Temple Shrine. Even being transferred to Tennessee in 1973, he remained active with Al Menah and was most proud to serve as captain of their horse patrol for in 1985. He later started competing in riding competitions upon his palomino mare, Coppers Angel while living in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. 

Lowell married Barbara Campbell in 1998 in Birmingham, Alabama at their daughter’s church. Tiger and Barbara settled in Little Rock, Arkansas, where he lived until his death. In 2015 he traveled back to Murfreesboro, TN, to become the 7th person inducted into the Tennessee Funeral Supply Sales Hall of Fame at the TFDA & TFSSC State Convention. The honor was bestowed due to his life's work and assistance in organizing the golf tournaments for the associations.

Lowell enjoyed gardening and took great pride in a well-manicured lawn. He liked to grill outdoors; watch football, golf, and other sports; and singing along to the radio. He even sang onstage in Printer's Alley in Nashville once. In his later years, he began upholstering furniture after taking a class. The “Tiger” in Lowell was able to beat cancer; however, during the past few years he suffered from heart problems.

Lowell was proceeded in death by his parents, father, Clyde Leslie Lucken and mother, Hattie Mae Taylor, both sisters Lois Lucken Baker, Martha Lucken Jobe, and stepdaughter Gwendolyn Campbell Claussen. His is survived by his wife, Barbara Hannah Campbell, both of his daughters, Tanya Lucken Stelly (Woody) of Seminary, MS; Tasha Lucken Richer of Columbus, OH; stepson Dr. Greg Campbell (Christina) of Columbia, MO, and stepdaughter Gail Campbell Stuart (Christopher) of Little Rock, AR. Lowell has 8 grandchildren, 6 step-grandchildren, as well as 12 great-grand children and 6 step-great-grandchildren with one on the way.

Funeral Services will be held at Hinkle Creek Baptist Church, 4 County Road 542, in the Hinkle Creek community of Rienzi, MS, on Saturday, December 14, 2024. Viewing will begin at 12:00 p.m. , with services beginning at 1 p.m. Graveside service will immediately follow. The family asks in lieu of flowers that donations be made in Lowell's memory to the American Cancer Society. https://donate.cancer.org/