Graeme Dickerman Plant Jr.

Graeme Dickerman Plant, Jr. Passed away due to complications from pneumonia on November 10, 2011. Graeme was born in Macon, GA on February 15, 1923 and spent his childhood there and in Lookout Mountain, TN. After graduating from Lanier High School in Macon in 1941, he started college at Georgia Tech and then joined the army in 1942 where he served in both the European and Pacific Theatres. After the war, he continued his studies at Georgia Tech on the GI Bill, graduating Summa Cum Laude in Mechanical Engineering. A job with Worthington Machinery took him to San Francisco where he met his wife of 59 years, Susan Byers (Plant) of Milton, MA. He soon sent a letter back to his parents, stating, "I never wanted your approval more, or needed it less, I'm going to marry a northerner!" After a wedding that was described as the highlight of the Boston Social Scene, Sue and Graeme returned to San Francisco and then moved to Napa, CA. Graeme spent his career in Engineering Management, first with the Basalt Rock Co, then with Kaiser Steel. His work with Kaiser took him all over the world, something that he thoroughly enjoyed. All of Europe, Africa, the USSR, Asia, and South America were stopovers on his business related journeys. Graeme was chairman of the endowment committee for the Queen of the Valley Hospital, on the board of the Napa Valley Symphony, and active in the Napa Valley Land Trust. He was never more satisfied than when he was teaching non-native speakers how to read and write English with the library literacy program. Teaching English was a natural for Graeme who was always one to put together a poem, ode or sonnet with just the right touch for any occasion. Graeme often talked about feeling like the luckiest man alive. He described Macon, Lookout Mountain, and Napa as the three most wonderful places to live in the world. He had work that he loved, travel that thrilled him, a wife that he adored, three children that he was extremely proud of and four grandchildren that were the apple of his eye. Toward the end of his life, he reflected on having married the most perfect woman for him and that the love of his family meant more to him than anything else. He is survived by his wife, Susan Plant of Napa, Children, Malcolm (Ann) of Berkeley, CA, Sandford Plant of Vancouver, WA, and Graeme III (Debi),,of Auburn, Ca, and four grandchildren, Hayden, Elliot, Meredith, and Riley. He will be missed by all of us. In lieu of flowers, donations to The Queen of the Valley Medical Center Foundation, the Napa Valley Symphony, or St. Mary's Episcopal Church would be appreciated. A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 18th, 4:00 PM at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Napa. Services are under the direction of the Claffey and Rota Funeral Home. Condolences may be sent at claffeyandrota.com