DAILY NEWS PEOPLE : DEENA TUCKER.

Byline: - Sharon Cotal

Ever since Deena Tucker was a little girl, she has dreamed of having a big family. But when her husband died in 1986, leaving her with one son to raise alone, she thought her dream had died with him. She became a foster parent as a way to have more children in her life, and through that program she has adopted four more children of her own.

``My brothers and sisters think I'm totally crazy. They think I should be enjoying myself at my age and traveling like they do,'' said Tucker. ``But I love helping children and taking care of children. That's what I care about.''

But when you have five kids, one foster child, operate an in-home day-care center and volunteer for several organizations, that doesn't leave a lot of time for certain necessities - such as sleep, for instance.

``I do most of my volunteer work late at night when everyone is in bed and the house is peaceful,'' said Tucker. Then she's up with the sun every morning, getting her kids ready for school and welcoming the day-care kids.

But that's OK - sleep is for those who need to dream. And Deena Tucker's dream has already come true.

AGE: 54

RESIDENCE: Palmdale

BORN AND RAISED IN: Born in Philadelphia and raised in Florida; moved to California in 1970.

OCCUPATION: Runs an in-home day-care center.

MARITAL STATUS: Widowed.

CHILDREN: One natural child, 22-year-old Gregory; four adopted children, 8-year-old Isaac, 7-year-old Matthew, 6-year-old Brittany and 5-year-old Sarah; one foster child, 16-year-old Christina.

VOLUNTEERISM: Tucker volunteers for the High Desert Foster Parent Association, a networking organization for foster parents to keep them updated on new policies and laws that concern them.

She also volunteers for the County of Los Angeles Department of Children and Family Services, where she helps with recruitment and mentoring, sets up training seminars and organizes parties and picnics for foster families, including the annual Sibling Dinner, which brings together siblings placed in different homes.

Tucker is a class chairwoman for the Head Start Policy Committee. She volunteers her time in a Head Start classroom, goes on field trips and does various projects at home.

For the Day Care Providers Association, Tucker helps with fund-raising activities, participates in the support group and plans parties.

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED?: ``My husband passed away in 1986, and I needed someone to love me and need me, so I became a foster parent. Once I started it, I wanted to know what was going on, so I got really involved in the organization. I needed something to keep me busy. I only had one child at the time, and even though I worked, my life didn't feel complete.''

WHY DO YOU VOLUNTEER?: ``I enjoy being around people, and I enjoy the fulfillment of helping other people. Also, I like to stay busy. I figure if I keep busy, it will help me stay young. I can already work circles around people a lot younger than me.''

GREATEST ACCOMPLISHMENT: ``Becoming a foster parent and adopting the four children that I have. I wanted two boys and two girls, and that's what I got. It was a lot of work, especially since I'm a single parent, but I got the big family that I always wanted.''

GOALS FOR THE FUTURE: ``To move to Simi Valley. I like it out there, and my daughter's godmother lives there, and she is very supportive. It's a smaller community, and I think my kids would be happy there. I just haven't found a house there yet that I can afford.''

WHO RELIES ON YOU THE MOST AND WHO YOU RELY ON: ``I rely on my 22-year-old son, Gregory, all the time, and he relies on me. We became very close when his father died, and he is involved in the foster program, too. Also, I rely on other foster parents. I can call them and unload, and then I feel so much better.''

FAVORITE ACTIVITIES: ``Taking my children to baseball games, going to the park, going to movies. I like to take them places and do things. Last week, we went to Disneyland, and next week we're going to the Long Beach Aquarium.''

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Photo

Photo: Deena Tucker

John Lazar/Daily News