Donald Plack, Jr.

Donald E. Plack, Jr, age 63, of Paola, passed away Tuesday, March 26, 2019, at Olathe Medical Center. Born in Buffalo, NY to Donald E. and Ruby (Burnett) Plack, the second of three children, Don graduated from East Aurora (NY) High School, spent six years in the US Navy's MOMAG group, then earned an associates degree in design and drafting from Alfred Ag & Tech in 1984. He was recruited by Sprint/Nextel, and within days of graduation was on the job. Working for Sprint took him to Reston, VA, Atlanta, GA, and eventually to the Kansas City area at the start of 1994. From Atlanta, Don rented a crown vic for a house hunting trip, and set off with his dog, Heidi. Not a city boy, he started visiting smaller towns on both sides of the state line, working his way out further from the city, looking for a place to call home. Once he found Paola, he and Heidi both agreed they had found it. Don settled in to his new home, and started quietly putting down roots. Don continued working for Sprint till early 2009, when he took early retirement just before the CAD work was outsourced to India. He started his own business doing CAD work for smaller telecom companies - the work he enjoyed, but without the long commute. Most people who move around a lot can make new friends in each new place, but very few keep up those friendships. Don kept in touch with friends from his childhood, Navy buddies, people he worked with across the country. He headed back to his home town twice a year, visited Navy friends often, and even on vacations to visit family, would often stop somewhere to have lunch with a Sprint engineer or co-worker from years ago. Visits with his parents, brother and sister were frequent. He delighted in his nieces and nephews, who saw him as a combination of Uncle and the biggest kid on the block. When great nieces and nephew came along, it was the same. Don held doors for people. He smiled and said good morning to everyone. When he saw the woman next door trying to build a fence, he went to help. Notice an older neighbor who might have a hard time shoveling? Their snow would magically disappear before sunrise. Brother or sister moving cross country? Don would be there to help load and drive a truck. He found a thousand quiet ways to help anyone who needed a hand. Don was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his brother Paul (Cindy) Plack, sister Janet Kelley, five nieces and nephews, seven grand-nieces and nephews, aunts and uncles, and many cousins. An informal memorial service will be at 3 p.m. Saturday, April 6, Dengel & Son Mortuary, 305 N Pearl St, Paola, KS 66071, followed by a Celebration of Life and potluck at VFW post 3712. A formal service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, April 13th, at Baker Memorial United Methodist Church, 345 Main St, East Aurora, NY 14052. Interment will be at East Aurora, NY. To share your memories of Donald or leave a special condolence message for his family, please click on the Share a Memory tab.