Fred Plummer

Grand Island resident, Fred R. Plummer, 86, passed away Tuesday, July 10, 2012 at Saint Francis Medical Center, Grand Island, Nebraska.

Memorial services will be Saturday, July 14, 2012; 10:30 A.M. at St. Paul's Lutheran Church, Grand Island with Pastor Bill Pavuk officiating. Burial with military rites will be in Grand Island City Cemetery, Grand Island. Memorials may be given to the Fred R. Plummer Memorial Fund. Visitation will be Thursday, July 12, 2012; 5:00 P.M. - 7:00 P.M. with family present at Livingston-Sondermann Funeral Home in Grand Island.

Fred was born June 13, 1926 in Grand Island to William and Martha Plummer. Fred grew up and received his education in Grand Island. He enlisted in the United States Navy in June of 1944 serving in the Navy South Pacific during World War II. He was awarded two Bronze Stars for the invasion of the Philippines and Okinawa. He was honorably discharged in August of 1946. Fred was united in marriage to Irline Nietfeldt on July 20, 1947. They lived in Grand Island where he worked for his father's business for twenty-five years. After his father's retirement he purchased Plummer & Sons and continued to run the business for the next twenty-five years. As his children were growing up Fred raised ponies and quarter horses. His many talents enabled him to look at the designs of horse drawn wagons and carriages while visiting museums and researching other sources. He then began to build replicas of his own, a stagecoach, fire wagon, a covered wagon and pony carts. Many weekends were spent at different events giving rides on the stagecoach, parading through rodeos or participating in parades. His older children have wonderful memories of enjoying the pony drawn sleigh rides given during the winters when they were growing up. Later he would design and build horse trailers and a barn with a horse arena. For ten years Fred and Irline were 4-H horse club leaders. Fred and his family also traveled to numerous quarter horse shows over the years to show his own quarter horses. Fred became a self taught carver after retiring. During his twenty plus years of carving he shared many of his finished pieces with family and friends as gifts, and donated carvings to charities for fund raisers. His specialties were horses, western carvings and Santa Claus's. He was always looking for a new carving project that was challenging. Fred was a member of St. Paul's Lutheran Church, a lifetime member of the American Quarter Horse Association, a Charter Member of the Hall County Sheriff's Posse, a lifetime member of the VFW and a member of the American Legion Club.

Fred was preceded in death by his loving wife of 63 years and nine months, Irline; parents; two sons, Lynn and Danny; two sisters; one brother; and one granddaughter.

Survivors include:
Daughters & Sons-in-law: Gerianne & Jim Pickering - Grand Island, NE
Nancy & Andy Puente - Grand Island, NE
Mary & Brad Dalyrmple - Hastings, NE
Sons & Daughters-in-law: Freddie & Bette Plummer - Grand Island, NE
Tim & Bev Plummer - Grand Island, NE
Matt & Teri Plummer - Nampa, ID
Also left to cherish his memory are many grandchildren and great-grandchildren.