Rodney S. Plumley

Rodney S. Plumley passed away December 26, 2012 in his Bryn Court home in Grants Pass Oregon after an 18-month battle with cancer. He was lovingly cared for by his wife Bev of over 65 years and during his final days by she and his devoted youngest daughter and son and Lovejoy Hospice. Graveside services with military honors will be held Tuesday, January 2, 2013, 10:00 AM at Eagle Point National Cemetery, Eagle Point, Oregon. He and Bev are members of the Redwood Ward of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in Grants Pass. A celebration of his life will be held on March 23 2013 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints chapel in Paradise. The family requests any donations in his memory be made to the National Cancer Institute Gift Fund or Lovejoy Hospice of Grants Pass. Rod was the only child born to Rodney S. and Ora Eva Plumley in Antioch, CA on August 9, 1925. He attended Antioch schools and graduated from Antioch High School in 1943. He joined the U.S. Army on Valentines Day 1944 and served in the Philippines Islands and Japan until being honorably discharged in April of 1946. He was serving his apprenticeship at the Wells Funeral Home in late 1946 and early 1947 in Lodi, CA. He met Beverly Anne Watson there and they were married in St. Anne's Catholic Church on June 29, 1947. They lived in San Francisco until he graduated from the San Francisco College of Mortuary Science in December 1947. They returned to Lodi where he was employed again at the Wells Funeral Home until he was called back to duty in September of 1950 during the Korean War. He was again honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant 13 months later. At the time of his call, he had been preparing to build and open a mortuary in his hometown of Antioch. After his discharge, his brother in law, Robert Biggs of Chico, CA requested that he join the management of Robert Biggs Wholesale Electric Co. in Chico. He and Bev moved to Chico where they lived for almost 20 years raising their five children after which they moved up the hill to Paradise where the Biggs and Bev's parents both lived. They resided in Paradise for another 18 years. For almost all of these years, he also was the embalmer for the Chico Funeral Home. Later, before he retired in his late 50's, he was also employed by Consolidated Electrical Distributors in Chico. His life was devoted to his wife, children and his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. After his retirement, he assisted his wife in the operation of her young women's clothing store, the Hang Up in their building on the corner of Pearson Rd. and Buschmann Rd., which they operated there for 11 years. They were members of the Paradise Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. They left Paradise in 1986, selling the store and property and retired in Maui, HI. After 3 years, they returned to the mainland to be closer to their family. In later years, they moved to Oregon, living in Corvallis, McMinnville and eventually Brookings where they still maintain a summer home. He leaves his devoted wife Bev, and 5 children, Stephen (Darlene) Plumley of Aurora, CO, Deb McGowan (Bob) of Chico, CA, Mark Plumley (Janet) of San Francisco, CA, Melissa (Frank) Nakatani of Redding, CA and Todd (Erin) Plumley of Layton, UT; 14 grandchildren and 6 great grandchildren.

Service Information

Wednesday, January 2nd, 2013 10:00am, Eagle Point National Cemetery

Interment Details

Eagle Point National Cemetery