Obituary of Seneca DeGraw

DeGRAW, Seneca Lewis “Tucker”, passed away on October 21, 2017. Born in Patterson, NJ, some 82 years ago, Brooklyn, N.Y., and Key Colony Beach, FL, were his homes. Tucker graduated from Ft. Hamilton High School in 1953, attended John Jay College, served as a Green Beret in the Special Forces, and, after working as a welder in the Brooklyn ship yards, joined the NYPD. Tucker started off his career with the NYPD by directing traffic in front of the U.N. during the 1966 transit strike. That set the tone, and he retired from the NYPD as a Detective Sergeant with the Brooklyn South Homicide Squad in the early 1990s after spending much of his career undercover or as a detective. Leaving Brooklyn for KCB and the Florida Keys, Tucker and his wife, Marie (née Galvin), quickly became fixtures in Key Colony Beach. In addition to helping found the KCB Fishing & Boating Club and organizing the KCB Christmas Boat Parade for years, Tucker served several terms as a Commissioner of KCB and was honored by being named to Key Colony Beach’s Hall of Fame. Tucker also served as a Chaplain in the Masonic Lodge of Marathon, and was a strong supporter of the Lodge and Shriners. Marie survives Tucker, as do their three children Jim (Cate Gloekler), Jeanette (Richard) Chizzik, and Lydia (Wayne) Neuenhoff, ten grandchildren, a great-grandchild, and his sister Linda (Alan) Grieme. He is predeceased by his parents, Seneca Lewis and Edna Houlihan DeGraw, and his sister Natalie (Harold “Gil”) Gjertsen. Visitation will be held Tuesday, October 24th from 2-4 and 6-8 at Joseph F. Nardone Funeral Home, 414 Washington St., Peekskill, NY. A private service will be held Wednesday. The family is planning a celebration of Tucker’s life in KCB in the New Year. In lieu of flowers, please make a donation to the Shriners Children’s Hospital or a charity of your choice.