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Service:
A Celebration of Life for Les will be announced.
Funeral home:
Kassly Mortuary, Ltd.
Obituary
On the last day of the
year 2025, Les Plotner, age 92, of Belleville, Il,
formerly of Lincoln, IL, joined his beloved wife
Gretchen in heaven, where she had been waiting for
him for a little over a year.
Lester Dean “Les” Plotner was born on December 15,
1933 in Pekin, IL to Dean and Marie, nee Chambers,
Plotner. He filled his life with family, friends,
and service to others. He served his school
community, the community at large, and his family
with devotion and quiet integrity.
Les attended Pekin public grade schools and
graduated from Pekin High School in 1951. He played
third base for the high school 1951 state champions.
He received a Bachelor of Science in education from
Western Illinois Teachers College in 1955. He then
received a teaching assistant scholarship at
Southern Illinois University and received a Master
of Science degree in 1956. Les taught Beginning
Geography while in graduate school and tutored
students needing extra help in the subject. He also
attended Illinois State University for post Master’s
work and earned certification in School
Administration.
He began his 38-year career as an educator on the
top floor of the old Central School which housed
Lincoln Central Junior High School. As the head
basketball coach at the school from 1959-1963, his
heavyweight teams won four consecutive state
championships. His good friend Roger Webster was his
assistant coach during those years. From 1960-1963
Les taught evening classes in economics at Lincoln
College.
In 1963, Les was hired as Assistant
Superintendent/Principal at Chester-East Lincoln
School District and remained there until 1966 when
he was hired back as Assistant Superintendent for
Lincoln Elementary School District #27. He succeeded
Harry F. Augspurger as Superintendent in 1968 and
remained in that capacity until he retired in 1994.
He was extremely proud when the new gymnasium at
Lincoln Jr. High School was named the Plotner-Williams
Gym in 2005.
In 1994, Les accepted an appointment as Treasurer of
the City of Lincoln from Mayor John Guzzardo. He
retired from the Treasurer’s position in 2010. Les
was a member of many professional and community
organizations, including Illinois Association of
School Administrators, American Association of
School Administrators, Illinois School Business
Association, Local Control of Schools (LOCON),
Illinois Municipal Treasurers Association, Lincoln
Logan Chamber of Commerce (Board of Directors and
President), Elks Lodge #914 (Crippled Children’s
Trust and Board of Governors), Economic Development
Partnership Board, and First Presbyterian Church
(Church Board). He was also an active member of the
Martin Luther King, Jr. Scholarship Fund for
minority students at Lincoln College.
An avid sports fan and participant, Les enjoyed
cheering for Lincoln’s school teams, the University
of Illinois’ Fighting Illini, and the Chicago Cubs.
He most enjoyed cheering on his three sons and his
grandchildren in all of their sports and other
activities. He passed along his love of golf and
fishing to his children and grandchildren. He looked
forward to annual fishing trips to Canada beginning
in 1972 with Roger Webster and their sons and was
delighted when his grandsons could join them in
later years. He and Gretchen were great companions,
traveling often together, working together as
faithful servants at the First Presbyterian Church,
visiting with friends and family, and enjoying sunny
days for a few months each year in Florida after
retirement. |
Les was preceded in death by
his college sweetheart and wife of 69 years, Gretchen, nee
Nolting, Plotner, whom he married on August 28, 1955 at the
Third Presbyterian Church in Springfield, IL; his parents,
Dean and Marie, nee Chambers, Plotner; brother-in-law and
sister-in-law, Donald and Nadine Nolting; brother-in-law
Herbert Raab; and niece Rachelle Bailey.
Les leaves behind his adoring sons and their spouses, Greg
and Laura Plotner of Tampa, FL, Kent and Ellen Plotner of
Swansea, IL, and Eric and Shauna Plotner of Morton, IL. Also
surviving are his eight grandchildren, all of whom he loved,
Erin (Dan) Hubert, Danny Plotner, Michael (Hannah Davis)
Plotner, Mason Plotner, Jared Plotner, Blake Plotner,
Brittney Livesay, and David Plotner; his great
grandchildren, Bailey Hubert, Reagan Hubert, Sloane Hubert,
Madeleine Livesay, Cooper Livesay, and Caleb Livesay; his
sister, Valjean Rabb of Lake Forest, IL; and his nephews,
David (Dennis) Raab of Lake Forest, IL, and Blaine (Shelly)
Raab of Cave Creek, AZ.
Condolences may be made to the family at
www.kasslyfuneral.com.
Memorials can be made to the Lincoln Logan County Humane
Society, Lincoln, IL or the First Presbyterian Church,
Lincoln, IL.
A Celebration of Life for Les will be announced. A private
burial will follow in Elkhart Cemetery, Elkhart, IL.
“If I had my life to live over, I wouldn’t change a thing. I
had a loving wife, three wonderful sons and their families
and many good friends. What more could one want in life.”
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