Dr. Francis Plucinsky

Dr. Francis C. “Frank” Plucinsky, 82, of Spring Township, passed away on December 12, 2021, at the Reading Hospital and Medical Center. He was the husband of Priscilla A. (Bangor) Plucinsky. Born in Cementon, Pennsylvania he was a son of the late Paul and Susan (Plata) Plucinsky. He was a graduate of Allentown Central Catholic High School in 1957. Frank was active as a youth with the Boy Scouts of America and gained the rank of Eagle Scout. After high school Frank served from 1957-1961 in the U.S. Army, where he worked as an air defense operations and intelligence specialist in New York and Germany. Subsequently, he attended Bloomsburg University and graduated in 1965 with the honor of Summa Cum Laude earning a bachelor’s degree in Education and Biology. He continued his studies at Williams College in Massachusetts where he had a teaching fellowship and earned a master’s degree in biology in 1967. He returned to Pennsylvania to attend Temple Medical School. After graduation from medical school in 1971, he interned at the Reading Hospital in 1972 and then completed an anesthesia residency at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Plucinsky was an anesthesiologist from 1972-2002 for the Reading Anesthesia Associates where he was the president for 14 years. He also served as the director of the anesthesia department at the Reading Hospital. Doctor P took great pleasure in teaching students and serving as a clinical instructor at the Reading Hospital School of Anesthesia. Frank enjoyed being outdoors and fly fishing. He also enjoyed taking his grandchildren fishing and teaching them how to tie flies. He had a deep appreciation of the beauty of the natural world along with a life-long fascination with photography and natural history. He made yearly pilgrimages to the mountains of the Western U.S. which is trout fishing heaven and a photographer’s dream. He loved the WEST so much that for a long time he had a strong desire to move WEST and was searching for a position in the WEST. He finally settled for a position in WEST Reading Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Mengel Natural History Society, the Baird Ornithological Club, the Berks Photography Society and a life member of Trout Unlimited. His knowledge in these areas allowed him to present many programs and presentations on fly fishing, wildflowers, native orchids, bald eagles, natural history, national parks and photography. He was a member of St. Ignatius Loyola Roman Catholic Church, Whitfield. In addition to his wife, he is survived by two children, Amy F., wife of Gordon Godat, Baltimore MD and Christopher F. Plucinsky, Pittsburgh; and one siblings Agnes, wife of Roger Shellock, Sam Clemente, CA. Three grandchildren: Anastasia, Madelaine and Alexander Godat and many nieces and nephews also survive him. He was predeceased by his daughter, Christine A. Plucinsky in 1969 and three siblings: Paul Plucinsky, Susan Flytuta, and Anne Ciecko. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday, December 16, 2021, at 10 a.m. at St. Ignatius Loyola R.C. Church, 2810 St. Albans Dr., Sinking Spring. Burial at Our Lady of Grace Cemetery, Hazelton will be Friday, December 17, at 11 a.m. Friends may call Wednesday, December 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., 739 Penn Ave., West Reading. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Ignatius Loyola Church at the above address or John Paul II Center for Special Learning, 1092 Welsh Road, Shillington, PA 19607. Condolences may be expressed at www.kuhnfuneralhome.com.