Kenneth E. Pletcher, 93, of Goshen, passed away Monday, Jan. 22, 2024, at Elkhart General Hospital. He was born Feb. 9, 1930, in Elkhart County to Henry I. and Agnes L. Pletcher. He married Lois Jean Clementz on July 4, 1954. She preceded him in death on May 18, 2014. He married Thyra L. Metzler on Oct. 25, 2015.
Ken graduated from Wakarusa High School, Class of 1948. He served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War and was at the atomic bomb blast at Ulta Flats.
Ken was the vice-president of manufacturing at NIBCO and spoke highly about being a team player. He would say God first, then family, then NIBCO. He was a member of Beulah Missionary Church where he served as chairman of the church board and lived his life by living the Bible. He was active in the community serving on numerous boards including Salvation Army, Youth for Christ, YMCA board. He served as president of the Elkhart County 4-H Fair Board and received the Indiana Hall of Fame Award.
Ken taught his sons the value of hard work, whether it was clearing brush and splitting firewood to shoveling manure and caring for sheep, cattle and horses. He loved to farm and used it to teach his sons responsibilities. He served on the Elkhart Redevelopment Committee and on several Ivy Tech Committees. Ken truly felt everyone should have the opportunity to achieve a greater education. He was a Paul Harris Fellow as a Rotarian and helped build a Habitat for Humanity home with the Rotary Club. He enjoyed his annual trips to Lake Oba in Canada. He also enjoyed being able to have a private pilots license to fly a single engine aircraft. He enjoyed riding his Harley motorcycle and he also found time to do some farming! Ken's favorite quote was: "If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there." Surviving are his four sons, James A. (Karen) Pletcher of Middlebury, Mathew J. (Patti) Pletcher of Bristol, Jeffrey A. (Karen L.) Pletcher of Middle Brook, Virginia, and Michael J. (Tracy) Pletcher of Manchester, Missouri; 10 grandchildren and 19 great-grandchildren; and sisters Sandra Bergin of Charlotte, North Carolina, Esther McGowan of Cornwall, New York, and Jo Stein of Phoenix, Arizona. He was preceded in death by sisters Hilda Hahn, Dorothy Berkey, Marjorie Shirk, Pauline Motts, Wilma Stickel, Mary Jean Freed and Maxine Hisey, and brothers Ernest Pletcher, Donald Pletcher and Warren "Shorty" Pletcher. Visitation will be 3 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 1, at Stemm-Lawson-Peterson Funeral Home, 1531 Cobblestone Blvd., Elkhart, IN 46514, and one hour before the 11 a.m. service on Friday, Feb. 2, at Beulah Missionary Church, 57595 Old County Road 17, Goshen, IN 46528. Burial will follow at Olive West Cemetery, Elkhart.
Richard Willard Brotherson (Dick), 93, passed away peacefully surrounded by family on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at Greenleaf Health Campus, in Elkhart, IN. Dick was born on May 4, 1930, in Mishawaka, Indiana, to Howard Christian Brotherson and Lucille Stackman Brotherson, and grew up in South Bend while spending his summers on Diamond Lake in Cassopolis, MI. He attended Thomas Jefferson school in South Bend through 9th grade, where he met his future wife, Patricia Kissinger Brotherson. At Thomas Jefferson he was a 4-sport athlete and voted the Most Outstanding Student and Most Likely to Succeed at his graduation prior to entering high school at John Adams. Dick graduated from John Adams in 1948 where he was on the golf team and a leader of the High Y Service Club. Dick attended University of Notre Dame, graduating in 1952 with a BS degree in Commerce, where he was in the Naval ROTC. He was also a founding member and Commodore of the Notre Dame Sailing Club. Dick and Pat were avid sailors, sailing Snipes early on and had the distinction of being the first non-residents of Eagle Lake to win first place in the Eagle Lake Regatta in 1951. Dick still had all his sailing trophies proudly displayed in his home before his passing. In addition to his parents and in-laws, John M. (Jack) and Kathryn Kissinger, Dick was predeceased by his wife of nearly 61 years, Pat, and son, James R. Brotherson, as well as a sister, Mary B. Hardig, and sister in-law, Sally K. Wilt. Survivors include his daughters, Susan “Susie” M. Swartz (Marshall) of Winston Salem, NC, and Nancy B. Banks (John) of Union, MI. He is also survived by a daughter-in-law, Patricia P. Brotherson of Elkhart, 6 grandchildren, Andrew “Drew” Brotherson (Linda), of Bristol, IN, Spencer Brotherson of Indianapolis, Brian Chappell (Alexandra) of Cary, NC, Maj. Adam Chappell (Kendra) of Yorktown, VA, Matthew Banks of Nolensville, TN, and Lindsay Borden (Nicholas) of Niles, MI, two bonus grandchildren, 16 great-grandchildren, a brother-in-law, James Hardig, of South Bend, a nephew and 7 nieces. After graduation from Notre Dame as a commissioned Naval Officer, Dick served in the Navy during the Korean War, and upon discharge, took a position with Phillips 66 in Indianapolis, beginning a 42-year career in the petroleum industry as a distributor. From Indianapolis, he moved to Bloomington, IN, and in 1959 the family moved to Elkhart, IN, where he went to work with his father-in law, John M. Kissinger, who owned J &K Oil Company. After the Kissingers retired, Dick and Pat took over J&K Oil, where they remained until retirement in 1996. Dick was a member of Kiwanis for 5 years, and later joined the Rotary Club, where he was a Paul Harris Fellow and a member for over 54 years. It was through his service at Rotary that his love for the Wellfield Botanic Gardens began. This consequently led to his donation of the fountains in two of the ponds at the Gardens.
Dick was a former member of the Board of Directors of the Elkhart Career Center where he was President for one year. He was also a former member of the Elks BPO 425, Christiana Creek and Elcona Country clubs where he could enjoy golfing. Dick was also a member of First Presbyterian Church in Elkhart for over 63 years where he was a Deacon and a Trustee through the years. Dick loved golf and played until his late 80’s when his back told him it was time to put away the clubs. Their summer home at Diamond Lake was a gathering place for all the children and their friends until the late 1980’s and afforded fun family times where Dick could continue his love for sailing, this time sailing an MC. Dick and Pat loved to travel, having visited all the continents with the exception of Antarctica and Australia. Dick also made a solo trip to Thailand the year after Pat’s death and came home 20 pounds lighter due to his dislike of Thai food! Dick and Pat also loved antiques, buying and selling under J&K Antiques for a good portion of their married life. Dick never met a stranger and was known as a jokester, even when it was not entirely appropriate! He was most proud of his Honorary Sheriff’s Deputy badge, presented to him at Rotary many years ago. A Celebration of Life for Dick will be held in early spring. In the meantime, Dick would like for all to remember to “Be Good”, his favorite parting words to everyone who passed through his home in his later years. Hartzler-Gutermuth-Inman Funeral Home is assisting the family with arrangements. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Wellfield Botanic Gardens, 1011 N. Main Street, Elkhart, IN 46514, The Rotary Foundation, 14280 Collections Center Dr., Chicago, IL 60693, or the Notre Dame Sailing Club C/O University of Notre Dame, Department of Development, 1100 Grace Hall, Notre Dame, IN 46556.
Running List of Rotary Event Announcements
Rotarians are an integral and engaged part of our active community! Here’s a list of upcoming events represented by Rotarians from the Elkhart Rotary Club. If you’d like more information, contact the Rotarian listed for the event or email elkhartnoonrotary@gmail.com and your message will be forwarded to them. Are you a Rotarian with an event to share? Put it in the format below and email to Eric Garton, he’ll add it to the list.
Wednesday, January 31, Welcome Reception for Dr. Larry Huff, recently hired Superintendent of Elkhart Public Schools. This is a great opportunity to connect with Dr. Huff and learn about his background and his vision for Elkhart Community Schools. Please RSVP by January 26, 2024, to https://forms.gle/QTTbwSGDrpWn7SVR7 Contact Doug Thorne.
OPTION 1 Elkhart Aquatic Center, 7:30 a.m. - 9:00 a.m., Refreshments: 7:30-8:00, Remarks by Dr. Huff: 8:00
OPTION 2 St. James AME Church, 4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m., Refreshments: 4:00-5:00, Remarks by Dr. Huff: 5:00
Sunday, February 4, Elkhart County Symphony concert at the Lerner Theatre at 4:00 p.m. Our concert features Mr. Brian Major, Metropolitan Opera Baritone as guest soloist with the Symphony. Tickets available at the Lerner Box Office. Contact: John Hill
Saturday, February 10 Volunteer for the Frosty 5k. We have more participants signed up currently than we’ve had in the past 15 years of doing the race. Based on that, we are anticipating a record year and hoping to find 25 to 30 volunteers willing to face the cold weather to help with a variety of tasks (some are indoors even)! We are looking for volunteers for the Frosty to do the following: Packet Pick-up, Giving runners their packets/t shirts/bibs when they arrive, Course Monitoring, Standing on the course cheering racers on and assisting in giving directions, Water Station, Handing water cups to runners, filling up waters, picking up discarded cups, Finish Line, Handing out waters to runners, collecting chips from bibs from runners, Here is the sign-up link for the Frosty 5 Volunteer Opportunities: https://signup.com/go/omsYWbH. Volunteers will at least get a frosty t shirt or coffee mug, snacks and drinks. Contact: Jamison Czarnecki
Thursday, February 15, at 5 p.m. Thirsty Thursday - come enjoy a drink and fellowship with fellow Rotarians and guests. Come on, come all, drop in at 5 or later. Keep an eye out for the location announcement from Pete Norton. Contact: Peter Norton
Early May, 2024. In September, Rotarian Carl Dickerson of Dickerson Literacy Initiatives presented a program at the club about a project in Costa Rica in cooperation with Peace Corps volunteers to distribute books in cooperation with the Ministry of Education. Rotarians have distributed books in recent years in connection with eye clinics from IU and the Goshen Rotary Club. We are considering doing a trip to Costa Rica in early May that would distribute books in connection with five Peace Corps volunteers and also distribute eyeglasses that will be made for people from a February 2024 eye clinic trip. If you wish to support such a trip or travel with the group, contact either Doug Risser or Ashley Bowen for more information.
