Eugene W. Plunkett, 1923-2009

Eugene died on June 9, 2009, in Grass Valley, Calif., at the age of 85.

He was born in Newburyport, Mass., on August 15, 1923, the son of Eugene W. and Sarah (Merrill) Plunkett. He was born and raised in Amesbury, Mass. and graduated from Amesbury High School in 1940.

He joined the U.S. Navy in December 1941, was sent to boot camp in Newport, R.I.,and the to Machinist Mates School at the Ford Motor Co. in Dearborn, Mich. He was first assigned to a destroyer, USS Chevalier DD-451, for a shake down cruise to Guantanamo, Cuba, and some convoy duty along the East Coast. The Chevalier was then part of a convoy which crossed the Atlantic in November 1942 for a landing in North Africa.

The Chevalier was then sent to the South Pacific, where she operated until October 6, 1943, where the ship was sunk in a surface action with Japanese destroyers south of Vella LaVella. He returned to the States and was assigned to a new destroyer, the USS DeHaven as a plank owner (original crew). In March 1944, after a shakedown cruise to Bermuda, he traveled to the South Pacific where the ship operated until the end of the war. After the war, still assigned to the USS DeHaven, he made trips to China, Japan, and Korea.

In January 1951, he was assigned to the USS Belle Grove LSD-2, where he served until his discharge from the Navy in October 1951. After the war, Eugene served five year1s on the Amesbury Police Department rising to the rank of Captain. After a career change to the newspaper industry, he moved his family to California in 1958 where he was employed at the Sacramento Bee for 30 years as a Linotype Operator.

He married Alfreda G. Lysik on April 10, 1948, in Amesbury, Mass. He was the father of Beverly Plunkett, Michael Plunkett, Sally Plunkett (deceased), David Plunkett, Darlene Plunkett (daughter-in-law), Kelly Lee and Jean Plunkett.

He was grandfather of Stephanie Livingston, Matthew Kozlowski, Mike and Jodi
Kirkpatrick, Jeremy Lee, Ryan and Stacie Clark, Fred Clark and Jamie Lee. He was the great-grandfather of Riley Livingston, Dylan and Madison Kirkpatrick, Ivan and Keirstin Lee, Brooke Clark, and Edward Kozlowski.

Special thanks to Brad Lee for his support and care of Eugene in his last days.

Burial will be in the family plot in Amesbury, Mass. A private memorial service will be held in Grass Valley, Calif.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to Hospice of the Foothills, 11270 Rough & Ready Hwy, Grass Valley, CA 95945, (530) 272-5739.

Eugene died of Mesothelioma cancer