MACHIASPORT – Edwin S. Plissey passed away Nov. 14, 2011, while surrounded by family, in Bangor, after a brief illness. He was born July 27, 1934, in Washburn, to Thomas and Mary (Learnard) Plissey.
Ed was raised with seven siblings on the family farm in Washburn where he developed a passion for farming and the potato. He graduated from Washburn High School in 1952, received his Bachelor of Science degree in agronomy in 1956, a Master of Science degree in botany and plant pathology in 1958 from the University of Maine, Orono, and additional graduate work in ecology at the University of North Dakota. Throughout the years he became one of the country’s foremost authorities on potato production. During Ed’s career in the potato industry he held many valued leadership roles and took consulting trips around the country and the globe. He was a vocational agriculture instructor in Patten, a county agriculture agent and potato specialist for the University of Maine at Fort Kent, and served as an extension agent and potato specialist for the University of Minnesota and the University of North Dakota. In 1978 he became the executive director of the Maine Potato Commission, further guiding the research, marketing and development of one of Maine’s most valued crops. In 1985 Ed was appointed a professor and extension specialist for the University of Maine, Orono. Upon retirement in 1997, Ed was declared professor emeritus and potato specialist emeritus for the University of Maine and was actively working, even recently, in helping growers in the industry evaluate new technologies and processes to improve potato production. In his younger years, Ed was state president of the Maine Jaycees, voted Outstanding Young Man of Maine by the Jaycees in 1964, an active and valued member of his community and church throughout his life, a 34-year member of Rotary, and frequently contributed his time and skills to better the lives of those around him. His contributions were as varied as heading the board of Grand Forks Symphony Orchestra to bringing potatoes by the ton to food pantries. Among the many service awards Ed received was the Paul Harris Fellowship award from the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International for his work bettering his community throughout the years. In recent years, he was instrumental in Neighbors Helping Neighbors and Sunrise Economic Council. Ed and Marilyn enjoyed traveling extensively around the U.S. and Europe, visiting their children and grandchildren, and wintered in Arizona and Florida. He loved music, sang in barbershop ensembles, fished, read, played Scrabble in his free time, and was an avid golfer.
Ed is survived by his wife of 54 years, Marilyn Bonney Plissey, whom he married in 1957. He is also survived by his five children, Steven Plissey and wife, Catherine, of Evergreen, Colo.; Jo Bobb and husband, Stevan, of Fort Worth, Texas, and their daughters, Alexandra and Rachel; Rebecca Poland and husband, Alan, of Bremen, and their children, Christopher and his wife, Paige, Tyler, Meagan Dobson and Hayley Poland; Paul Plissey and wife, Sharon Teeler, of Charlottesville, Va., and their daughters, Ella and Sofi; and Bethany Plissey of Stowe, Vt.; four siblings, Fred Plissey of Caribou, Diane Plissey of Maine and Florida, Prudence and husband, Steve Dobson, of Washburn and Susie and husband, Dennis Lunney, of Crystal River, Fla.; and sister-in-law, Ellen “Rusty” Jamieson Plissey of Valdosta, Ga. He is also survived by many cousins, nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by siblings, Joanne Plissey, Pat Beaulieu and Terry Plissey.
A celebration of his life will be held 1 p.m. Sunday, Nov. 20, at Roque Bluffs Chapel, Roque Bluffs. A private burial is being planned for a later date to be announced by the family. Those who wish to remember Ed in a special way may make gifts in his memory to Roque Bluffs Community Outreach Program, P.O. Box 471, Roque Bluffs, ME 04654 or Down East Community Hospital, 11 Hospital Drive, Machias, ME 04654 attention: Doug Jones, administrator.