Eugene Wayne Plegge, DVM, passed away Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at the family’s home in Linn.
He was born Nov. 20, 1934, to the late Milton Herman and Marie Estelle McClain Plegge in Saint Louis.
He attended elementary school in St. Louis. His family moved to Cooper Hill where he attended one year of high school in Belle before redistricting mandated, he finished school in Owensville. After graduation, Gene enrolled at the University of Missouri-Columbia where he graduated with his Doctorate in Veterinary Medicine in 1958. Gene was known to those in Osage County as “Doc”
Following his studies, Gene entered into active service with the U. S. Air Force and was stationed in France. After his first year of service, he briefly returned home and was united in marriage to Evelyn Pohlmann of Bay May 30, 1959. The couple returned to France for his final months of service, after which he was Honorably Discharged with the rank of Captain.
Gene worked for Dr. George Stiles in Windsor for one year before moving with his family to Linn. Doc and Evie ran their veterinary practice out of the basement of their home on Lee Street for many years before building their clinic on Highway 50. Following the sale of their veterinary practice and retirement in 1999, Gene began driving for Carroll-Rehma Motors and continued for over 20 years, retiring at the age of 82 from Jim Butler Motors.
He was a member of St. John’s United Methodist Church, the Linn Masonic Lodge, the Linn Lions Club, and was a proud Shriner. He served several terms on the Linn School Board.
Gene enjoyed music and art, as well as watching a variety of sports, especially when his children or grandchildren were playing. When he could get time away from the vet clinic, he loved activities that challenged him, like woodworking, genealogy, fishing, camping, and deer hunting with family in Swiss. Gene valued reading and continuing education and he never wanted to stop learning.
He was preceded in death by parents, Milton and Marie; brothers, Morley Plegge and Gary Plegge; brothers-in-law, Al D’Angelo, Kermit Pohlmann, Kleo Pohlmann, Melvin Pohlmann, Kenneth Pohlmann and Darwin Pohlmann, and two sisters-in-law, Marian Pohlmann and Paulette Pohlmann.
Eugene is survived by wife of 65 years, Evelyn of their home in Linn; daughter, Debra Henderson and husband Carl of Vienna, son, Mark Plegge of O’Fallon, Ill.; grandchildren, Sarah Stratman and husband Matthew, Amanda Fagre and husband Justin, Katherine Smith and husband Nicolas and Austin Henderson and friend Anastasia Stratman; great-grandchildren, Jack Stratman, Jase Smith, Clemens Fagre, and Enrique and Vladimir Patino; sisters-in-law, Darlene D’Angelo, Marlyn Hofstetter, and husband Dale Janet McHale and husband John, MaryAnn Warmann and husband Roland, Eileen Pohlmann, and Edna Mae Pohlmann; brothers-in-law, James Pohlmann and Larry Pohlmann and wife Lisa, as well as numerous nephews and nieces.
Visitation will be held from 4 until 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 20, at Morton Chapel in Linn with a Masonic Service at 3:30 p.m.
Funeral Service will be held at 10 a.m., Saturday, Sept. 21, at St. John’s United Methodist Church in Linn with Rev. Kayla Kelly-Beard officiating. Interment with military honors will be held in St. Paul’s Cemetery in Bay.
Memorial contributions suggested to to Shriners Hospital or St. Jude Children’s Hospital.
Arrangements entrusted to Morton Chapel in Linn.
