SOUTH PARIS — Erland N. Tucker, 87, a resident of 38 Megquier Hill Road, Poland, died Sunday, June 23, at the Maine Veterans’ Home following a long illness.

He was born in Berlin, N.H., Oct. 7, 1925, the son of Nelson A. and Bertha (Barrows) Tucker.

Erland was an Army veteran of World War II, where he received a Purple Heart being wounded in Germany during the war. Following the service, he was employed as an union electrician for more than 65 years. He supervised more than 60 people for E.S. Boulos and as an outside contractor at Philips Elmet retiring in 1988, and was well respected by all who worked with him.

He was a member of the First Universalist Church Unitarian Universalist of Auburn, where he also served as head usher. He was also a member of the Buckfield Community Church, Minot Center Grange and Liberty Rebekah Lodge.

Erland was a tinkerer, inventer, traveler, camper, a ham radio operator, square dancer and bowler. He invented a well water capacity gauge after dousing for a well at his home. He also traveled from Maine to California five times using different routes each trip.

Survivors include his wife, the former Esther Thorpe of Poland, whom he married June 9, 1984; one son, Gordon Tucker and wife, Delia, of Fort Mohave, Ariz.; one daughter, Sandra LaBrie of San Antonio, Texas; one brother, Morris Tucker and wife, Lolita, of Sumner; one sister-in-law, Cynthia Tucker of Buckfield; three grandchildren, Edward and Jason Tucker, as well as Michele LaBrie; four great-grandchildren; as well as many nieces, nephews and cousins by birth and marriage.

He was predeceased by one daughter, Shirley Tucker; one brother, James Tucker; two sisters, Catherine Pratt and Constance White Hicks; and one grandson, Robert A. LaBrie III.

Online condolences and sharing of memories may be expressed at www.lynchbrothers.com.