Richard "Dick" T. Plummer

Richard "Dick" T. Plummer II died peacefully on November 27, 2022. A lover of nature, a creative genius, a thrill-seeker, and a man of elegant simplicity will be missed by those who knew him.

Born August 13, 1935, in Duluth, MN, he was raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin where he explored the outdoors. He valued trees at an early age and as an Eagle Scout, he planted hundreds of them as his final project.

Dick graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. Following college, he joined the US Air Force, flying fighter planes including the F104 Starfighter. He took great pride in his prowess as a fighter pilot and loved to relive his missions with stories of his flying days to anyone who would listen. He proudly served his country in the Air Force and Naval Reserves.

Dick's creative style and work ethic enabled him to start his own development company, aptly named the Plummer Company, where he built homes throughout Atlanta. He also built 125 cottages and a charming chapel in Big Canoe, a mountain community located at the beginning of the Appalachian Trail. Because he respected the land there was minimal disturbance while building his cottages. His legacy at Big Canoe lives on today as the cottages he built grace a plaque of their heritage. Later, Dick transplanted a large oak from a building site to the entrance to one of his developments, saving the tree rather than destroying it. Naturally, a large tree was the center of his company logo.

Turning properties into works of art was his hallmark. An old barn in Wisconsin became the family home. A vacation house he built on a secluded island in South Carolina was reachable only by boat and by firetruck. For the last 25 years Dick and his wife, Jody, made Stone Lake their home when he renovated a 1920's cottage on Lac Courte Oreilles. They added other cozy buildings onsite so their friends and family could visit and enjoy the north woods as much as they did.

He loved animals of all kinds and found great pleasure in spotting the eagle's nest in the tree by the lake or looking for the loon he could hear in the distance. He especially enjoyed time on the porch playing cards, listening to music, and telling bad Ole and Lena jokes using his thickest Upper Midwest accent. He shared his love of the outdoors with his children and grandchildren. And every Christmas Dick made beautiful ornaments that reflected his love of nature.

Dick's sense of adventure included travel with family and friends. Once he took his small boat solo down the Mississippi River to the Gulf of Mexico and canoed the Boundary Waters often.

Dick had many accomplishments but his greatest legacy was his commitment to his family. He is survived by his wife, Mary Jo "Jody"; his children, Jean (William Jr) Daniel, Gail (Bradley) Jones, Leigh (Jeffrey) Balberde, Richard Plummer III; his grandchildren, Jessica (Lyle), William (Brittney), Elizabeth, Wells, Ansley, Clyde, Clementine; his great-grandson, Westin; and his former wife, Joanne Carlton. He also leaves behind three step-children, 11 step-grandchildren, and many other relatives and good friends.

Dick's quick wit, fierce determination, and sense of humor will be greatly missed. If so inclined, please plant a tree (or admire one) in Dick's memory.