Born July 12, 1936 in El Dorado, at Susan B. Allen Memorial Hospital to Forrest and Sarah Plummer.
Survived by wife of 65 plus years, Eleanor Jean Plummer, Daughter Julie and husband Roy Peters, son, Scott and wife Ronni, grandchildren Logan and Chelsea Plummer, Gretchen Peters Talon and Maggie Plummer, Emily and Tyler Funk and great grandson, Theodore Funk, and bonus kids Russell Hughes and Linda Baines, sisters Kay Hall of Newton and June Ford and husband Ron of Haysville, brothers Al and wife Bonne, Burns, and many nieces and nephews. Preceded in death by parents and brother, Frank Plummer.
Ben grew up in the Cassoday community and graduated from El Dorado High School in 1954.
He joined the Navy that fall, going to San Diego for basic training.
He then entered the aviation electronics school in Norman, OK, earning the equivalent to a bachelor’s degree in aviation electronics.
He served in Memphis, TN, Hutchinson, KS then went to Okinawa for 2 years where he was a radarman on airplanes.
Upon his discharge from the Navy in 1958, he returned to El Dorado where he continued a friendship with Jean Fudge and enrolled in El Dorado Junior College.
They were married January 23, 1959.
Ben worked for Peace Radio and TV and Corby Crawford’s Standard service station.
He graduated from El Dorado Junior College (BCCC) and planned to attend K-State for a formal engineering degree.
A Navy buddy made contact with him and through that contact, he was offered a job with RCA Service Company, installing electronics equipment at Military installations.
He and Jean were expecting their first child.
Their first job was in Enid, OK and every weekend, they went back to El Dorado to pack up and store household goods that their next five years of moving from government jobs to jobs, didn’t make it possible to take much with them.
For the next five years, they averaged 12 moves a year. Daughter Julie was born November 4, 1960, back in El Dorado and Scott was born December 8, 1962, back in El Dorado also. Both youngsters began traveling when just weeks old.
The next 2 and a half years were spent in the Smokey Mountains of NC, where they grew to love the local friends and others Ben worked with.
Ben received an offer to go to West Palm Beach, FL to be in charge of maintenance in the RCA computer school when computer technology was in its infancy.
They spent 2 and a half years there and Ben received an offer from Bill Peace, his former boss at the radio and television store, to become a partner, and knowing that the children were growing up not knowing their extended families, they stepped out on faith and moved back to El Dorado. They had purchased a building downtown and had added sales to televisions to the store.
Ben opened an appliance store next door, and they purchased Young’s Appliance and merged the two businesses.
When the satellite business was booming, Ben opened several satellite sales stores, one in El Dorado and one in Andover, called Andover Electronics. During that time, he sold the television business to Dennis Young.
When the government regulations changed the satellite business, Ben went to work for the Kansas Turnpike Authority, maintaining computers on the Kansas Turnpike.
After retiring from KTA, he started Accent Shutters of Kansas and after several successful years of business, sold the business and retired.
He added to his busy professional life by volunteer service as a School Board Member of USD 49, originator or the Bus Ministry at First Baptist church, Deacon, Sunday School teacher, Youth Sponsor, assistant Girl Scout Leader with Jean and other opportunities of service to his community. He was a member of the American Legion.
Over two years ago, Ben was diagnosed with a rare cancer, and after basic treatment, he and Jean moved to Oconomowoc, Wisconsin to live with Julie and family and be part of an experiment cancer treatment program at Froedtert Cancer Center close to their home.
In May of this year, the Plummers moved back to El Dorado, and Ben enjoyed the visits of countless friends and family until his death June 24.
A memorial service will be held Saturday, July 13 at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church in El Dorado. Please sign his online guestbook and leave a memory of Ben at www.carlsonkirbymorris.com