Harvey “Bud” R. Plummer III was born December 20, 1944 in Rapid City, SD to Harvey and Florence Plummer, Jr. Harvey passed away at St. Agnes Hospital in Fond du Lac, WI on May 15, 2023 at the age of 78 after suffering multiple heart attacks.
Harvey was the oldest of 11 children. He attended St. Mary’s Springs Academy in Fond du Lac, WI graduating in 1963 having played accordion, football, basketball and track. He also attended Marquette University. Harvey married Katherine A. Trapp in 1963 raising five children. In 1983 Harvey married Linda Henning, welcoming two additional children.
Harvey was a hard worker and experienced a full life of sports, hobbies and travel. Harvey started work mowing lawns as a child. When he was 15, he worked at Hucks Grocery Store in Fond du Lac. He later worked at Zepher gas station and delivered pizzas. He was active in Boy Scouts achieving rank of Eagle Scout which was achieved by only 1.3 % of scouts. After high school Harvey remained active, driving in demo derbies, pitching for local baseball teams, bowling and archery league, photography and coin and stamp collecting.
In 1964 Harvey became an apprentice in the trade of Industrial Engineering Technician with the Giddings and Lewis Machine Tool Company which he completed in 1968. In 1973, he began working for John Deere where he had a long and successful career; including Tool and Die Designer, Tool and Die Engineer, Purchasing Manager, Manager of Manufacturing at the Primary Facility at John Deere Horicon Works and lastly, Plant Manager, John Deere Power Products Greenville, TN. Harvey was a respected and much-loved leader, retiring in 2004 with a flyover and fireworks.
Harvey was a very active and busy man. He was a private pilot, active at Dodge County Airport in Juneau, WI, Greenville Municipal Airport, TN and Fond du Lac Skyport. Harvey was a member of Angel Flight, an organization that transports people who need to travel farther distances to receive medical care. He built experimental planes, was an EAA Volunteer and took dozens of Young Eagles to the air. Harvey recently became an operator and builder of Radio-Controlled aircraft with the Wellnitz Field Aeromodelers in Fond du Lac.
Harvey enjoyed extensive traveling by plane, auto, motorcycle, cruise ship and on foot. He took numerous trips for business, as well as pleasure trips with his co-pilot Linda and other companions seeing much of the US, often making detailed plans for his trips. Some of Harvey’s cross-country trips, many by motorcycle, included traveling to all cities named Plummer, seeing the PGA tournaments, playing famous golf courses and seeing the National Parks. He walked portions of the Appalachian Trail. He enjoyed watching the Packers, races and golf. Harvey was an avid golfer and achieved two holes-in-one, one at Old Hickory Golf Course in Beaver Dam and the other at Camelot Golf Course in Lomira. Even in his final days Harvey enjoyed flying, operating and building RC planes, golfing, breakfast with John Deere retirees and Friday night dinners with cherished friends and family.
Harvey’s last selfless act was donating his corneas so that someone else would have the gift of sight.
Harvey is survived by his wife of nearly 40 years, Linda; six children: Renee (Steve) Schueler, Brett (Tina) Plummer, Deana (Todd) Zarling, Jon Henning, Jerel (Brenda) Plummer, Cindy (Andrew) Gossfeld; 13 Grandchildren: Christopher Ronzani, Nicholas Ronzani, Dan Steiner, Megan Stark, Chelsea Plummer, Nyann Plummer, Taya Rogers, Loggan Plummer, Alec Plummer, Isaac Fichtner, Hannah Mack, Gary Fichtner, Addelynn Gossfeld; eight great grandchildren: Prudence Ronzani, Levii Plummer, Emmett Plummer, Alice Stark, Carson Ronzani, Madilynn Plummer, Owen Stark, and David Jones III; 10 siblings: Barb (Mike) Hatch, Mike (Del) Plummer, Kathy (Dick) VanderVelde, Mark Plummer, Mo (Shirley) Plummer, Cort Plummer, Mary (Jack) Krug, Tina (Steve) LaVallee, Denise (Dave) Thompson, Shelly Plummer, and Uncle Bob Plummer. He is further survived by numerous step grandchildren and step great grandchildren, many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends.
Harvey was preceded in death by his parents Harvey and Florence Plummer and two sons, DuWayne Plummer in 1964 and Craig Plummer in 2012; mother-in-law Rose Rosinsky; sister-in-law Bonnie Plummer and Aunt Carrolle Aldrich.
Harvey’s family invites relatives and friends for a time of visitation on Saturday, May 20th at Zacherl Funeral Home from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. A funeral service will be held at 11:30 a.m. Harvey will be laid to rest in a private ceremony in Chapel of the Risen Christ Mausoleum, Calvary Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, donations are appreciated to EAA Young Eagles, PO Box 2683, Oshkosh, WI 54903.
The family thanks the E.M.T.s, E.R. and I.C.U. staff at St. Agnes for their quick response, life-saving efforts and compassionate care.
Posted online on May 17, 2023
Published in Fond du Lac Reporter