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Woodrow Clyde Plunkett, age 90, of Dunwoody,
GA died Monday, Feb. 20, 2006. He was born in Atlanta, GA on April 17,
1915, son of Solomon Smith Plunkett and Bertha Clyde Kierbow Plunkett.
He was a graduate of Fulton High School and the Draughn Business School.
In 1942 he enlisted in the Army and graduated from Officers' Candidate
School at Fort Benning, GA. From there he was an officer in the 508th
Parachute Infantry Regiment which jumped into Normandy on D-Day, June
6, 1944. He was wounded in the Battle of Pretot, June 20, 1944, shortly
after becoming Company Commander of G Company for which he received
the Purple Heart. He received a medical retirement from the U.S. Army
while at Camp Blanding, FL in 1946 where he met his wife of 58 years,
Winifred Rosenbaum from Tarboro, NC. She was an American Red Cross Hospital
worker with the military. They were married at St. Mary's Episcopal
Chapel, St. Mary's Jr. College in Raleigh, NC on Dec. 30, 1947.
After
he returned to civilian life, he formed his own company, W.C. Plunkett
& Co. which sold laundry and dry cleaning supplies. He also started
the Sherwood Candy Company.
He was very active in his church, St. Martin
in the Fields Episcopal for many years, having been Senior Warden, President
of the Men’s Club, and Head Usher. Mr. Plunkett was a Mason, a Shriner,
a member of the American Legion and the Optimist Club. He was a proud
member of the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment Association and attended
their reunions annually. At the age of 89 he was the oldest veteran
in attendance at the Association’s final reunion in 2004. In 1994 he
received the O.B. Hill Award for outstanding service towards the purpose
of the Association. In Patrick K. O’Donnell’s book "Beyond Valor" there
is a chapter written by Francis Lamoureux that tells the story of being
with Lt. Woodrow Plunkett when he was wounded.
He is survived by his
wife, Winifred and their two sons, Lee Woodrow Plunkett and Gray Clyde
Plunkett, a grandson, James Woodrow Plunkett, a granddaughter, Stacey
Leigh Plunkett, a sister, Ruth Plunkett Bowen, and several nieces and
nephews. The family will receive friends at Patterson’s Oglethorpe Hill
on Thursday, Feb. 23 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The funeral will be Friday,
Feb. 24 at 12:30 p.m. at St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal Church at
3110 Ashford-Dunwoody Road. Prior to the service, the family will receive
friends in the parlor of the church at noon. The family requests that
in lieu of flowers, donations be given to St. Martin in the Fields Episcopal
Church, the American Red Cross, Alzheimer's Association, VistaCare
Hospice Foundation or another charitable organization. .
(The Atlanta Journal-Constitution (GA) - February 23, 2006) |
