Ethan V. Plonka

Ethan Vladimir Plonka, age 22, of Rochester, MN, passed away on Sunday, July 21, 2024.
Ethan was born on June 6, 2002, in Khabarovsk, Russia Federation. Ethan and his older brother, Anton (his first and oldest friend) were adopted in November 2003 by Phil and Tanya Plonka of Rochester. The family landed at the Minneapolis airport and were welcomed with giant stuffed ducks, family members, and McDonald's chicken nuggets.
Ethan, many times known as "E", or as "Vlad", had a contagious smile and a marvelous sense of humor. Sharks, Legos, anime, YouTube, cats with laser beams – all brought him to giggles. He loved animation and repeatedly watched every episode of Scooby-Doo, South Park, and Rick and Morty. It was the outdoors that truly brought him great joy, particularly fishing, ANY kind of fishing. Ethan's love for nature was inspired by many, including his Grandpa Tom, who bravely took a three-year-old Ethan and family on a Boundary Waters canoe trip. Ethan was capable of spending hours on end at the dock on Baby Lake, in the Lamar Valley fly fishing, or on the boat angling for the next big fish or fish story.
Ethan was an athlete and began wrestling at the young age of 5. Wrestling was a passion that followed him through middle school and into high school with competitions in all styles of wrestling. He sampled aikido after high school and followed the sport of wrestling closely. He was very proud of his accomplishments in wrestling, as well as in football and indoor rock climbing. Ethan made great friends in all these pursuits.
Eating and making good food was a life-long love for Ethan. At a young age he loved the simplicity of Cheetos, but as an adult he developed an advanced palate that included Italian octopus, expensive cuts of beef, and even Steak Tartare. He enjoyed making food as much as he did in eating it, and was very talented in the kitchen making delicious creations. Ethan was always eager to tell you what he knew. He had a love of learning and technology and was excited to start classes at RCTC this fall in the Computer Aided Design (CAD) program. Ethan fiercely loved his family and close friends, including his fur friends. His caring personality, great compassion, and sense of humor brought much joy to those around him.
The service for Ethan will be on Monday, July 29, 2024 in the River Park Chapel at Macken Funeral Home (1119 11 ½ Street SE Rochester, MN). Visitation will start at 3 p.m. followed by a short memorial service at 4 p.m. and concluding with refreshments in the River Park Reception Hall. Ethan was a very casual guy, opting for shorts and flip flops often. The family requests that you honor him by dressing casually and encourage you to feel free to wear your favorite fishing shirt.
In lieu of flowers, the family asks for memorials to be directed to organizations such as Trout Unlimited, Bolder Options, or your favorite local non-profit organization.
Online condolences are welcome at www.mackenfuneralhome.com