Robert Plessner

1928 - 2021

Robert Plessner

For Bobby Plessner, "The man, the myth, the legend" is more than just a clever moniker. On the softball field, where he could often be found running extra laps, and playfully berating his teammates, he was known as "legend" for his athletic prowess even as he played his last game at the astounding age of 92; It should be noted that this last game won his team the league championship. "Best team I ever played on," Bob would say, to the chagrin of every other team he ever played on. For his family and those who knew him, Legend is a fitting name for the man who spent 93 years living life to its fullest, from his home on the softball fields, to boogie boarding and flying kites on the beach outside of his condo on Hutchinson Island, to the days spent on the golf course. As he used to say, "shooting my age was a lot harder when I was younger;" This past winter, he shot 86.

On Saturday, June 12th, Robert (Bob) Plessner, dedicated husband, father, grandfather, and great grandfather passed away at the age of 93. Bob, lovingly referred to by his family as Pop, was born May 25th, 1928, in Great Neck, Long Island, New York to Alma and Frederick Plessner. He graduated from Alfred University and worked in sales for Kimberly-Clark for most of his adult life. Bob was a U.S. Army veteran of the Korean war, where he worked as a postmaster and, as he explained it, played a lot of softball. In 1951, he married Marcia Gilliams, and they had three children together: Donna, Gail, and Beau (Robert, Jr.). After her passing in 1983, Bob married his beloved Barbara, who remained by his side until his final days.

Bob's legacy will be one of early morning crepes — he loved to demonstrate how he could flip the crepe up in the air and land it back in the pan perfectly — and late night's challenging Barbara to a high stakes game of cards, with a bowl of ice cream in hand to satisfy his sweet tooth, of course. Bob was particular about everything, from exactly where he put his bat away to pulling his car to a precise spot in the garage. He loved the Yankees with a passion that he passed on to his son, and, in his later years, he developed an extraordinary ability to nap on the couch sitting up with a tight grip on the TV remote. There are so many ways in which Bob earned his title of Legend, but most legendary was the love he showed to his family.

Bob was preceded in death by both of his parents, his brother Frederick, his cherished wife Marcia, and his daughter Donna. He is survived by his wife Barbara; his children Gail and Beau, and their families; and Barbara's children Chris, Jill, and Cameron, and their families who he loved like his own.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date with details to be announced. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Hospice.