MACHIAS – Philip Eugene “Buddy” Plante, 86, died peacefully Aug. 22, 2009, at a Bangor hospital, with his family and friends at his side. He was born May 6, 1923, in Machias. He graduated from Machias High School in 1941 and attended Husson College and Washington State Normal School. He worked for the U.S. government in Washington, D.C., and the Panama Canal Zone prior to joining the U.S. Navy. Buddy was a veteran of World War II, serving in the North and South Atlantic on the USS Borum. He was on the Borum as it escorted the first wave of landing craft onto Omaha Beach during the Normandy invasion. After being honorably discharged from the Navy, he returned to Machias to settle down and raise his family. He held several different jobs prior to becoming postmaster in Machias. He held that job until retirement. After retiring, Buddy traveled extensively in the U.S. and Canada with his wife, Elaine. Buddy enjoyed his family, traveling, flying his plane, hunting, fishing, playing tennis, building boats, water skiing, refereeing basketball, snowmobiling, and relaxing at his camps at Bog Lake and Cape Tormentine. He could often be seen riding his bicycle to Jonesboro or walking to Whitneyville for his daily exercise. Philip was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Elaine M. (Schoppee) Plante; and a brother, James E. Plante. Surviving are two daughters, Janine Blaine and her husband, Bill, of Marshfield, and Debbie Christiansen and her husband, Todd, of Glenburn; grandchildren, Sarah Ramsdell and her husband, Troy, of Cutler, Heather Johnson and her husband, Ben, of Bangor, Shane Christiansen and his girlfriend, Beth Bolduc, of Portland, Dustin Christiansen and Jocelyn Christiansen, both of Glenburn; three great-grandchildren, Finlay Ramsdell, and Roman and Reed Johnson; his special friend, Mary Heald of Machias; aunt, Louise S. Moore of Bar Harbor; and sister-in-law, Nancy Roach. Family and friends may visit 1-2:30 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, at Centre Street Congregational Church Vestry, 9 Centre St., Machias, where a service honoring his life will begin 2:30 p.m. Interment with military honors will be afterward at Longfellow Cemetery, Machias. Gifts in memory of Philip may be sent to Machias Food Pantry, P.O. Box 265, Machias, ME 04654. A service of Brookings-Smith, Bangor. Condolences to the family may be expressed at www.BrookingsSmith.com.
PHILIP EUGENE ‘BUDDY’ PLANTE
