Wendell M. Plucker
August 29, 1945 ~ March 19, 2023
A wise person once said, “We are all three people, the person we see ourselves, the person others see, and the person we really are.”
Wendell was a husband, a father, a son, a brother, an uncle, and his favorite, a grandfather. That’s how he saw himself. Family and tradition were his heart. He was born in the Midwest to a nurse and a family physician. He was raised in a small farming community in rural Minnesota. What others saw of him was a result of that environment. A strong work ethic, deep Christian values, determination, dedication and well-grounded confidence.
Wendell studied music and art in college in South Dakota, where he met his wife of 55 years. They built a lifelong partnership creating beautiful homes, gardens and raising a daughter and son together. He loved cooking, woodworking and playing tennis. He lived 34 years in Colorado but never lost his quirky Minnesota sense of humor. Wendell was incredibly creative and gave great attention to detail (read, a little OCD). As a result, those around him enjoyed marvelous food, lovely woodworking creations, beautiful outdoor spaces, and lovely indoor spaces.
The person he really was, was evidenced in his treatment of others. He was kind and thoughtful. He helped care for his wife’s mother the last four years of her life, cooking whatever and whenever she asked. He was never defined by his career, but he worked diligently to provide for his family. He was an accomplished salesman and operations manager who valued fairness and honesty.
Athletic and outgoing, Wendell was also contemplative. He was a poet and enjoyed reading and talking about books, movies, music, religion, politics and life. He wrote a book about the life lessons he’d learned and wanted to share with his grandchildren. One I believe he’d like to share reflects who he really was: “It’s important to understand that life is like chapters in a book. In some of those chapters the sun will shine, flowers will bloom, music will play, and joy will fill your heart. Anyone can make it through those chapters. At other times dark clouds will loom overhead, anger, bitterness and disappointment will attempt to take over your life. It’s all bad. That’s when you find the real diamonds in your life. That’s when you experience the true power of love. ‘Adversity doesn’t build character; perseverance in the face of adversity builds character.’”
Wendell was a man of outstanding character and a real character. All of us who knew him well are better for having shared life with him.
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Donations
National Jewish Health is the only facility in the world dedicated exclusively to groundbreaking medical research and treatment of patients with respiratory, cardiac, immune and related disorders. Because his younger brother also died of pulmonary fibrosis, Wendell was especially invested in this research. If you choose to give, your donation will support this valuable work.
