Obituary of Earl Nolan Plunkett

Earl Nolan Plunkett was born in Leadville, Colorado, on January 16, 1952 and passed away unexpectedly on July 17, 2019. When he was an infant, his family moved to Oro Valley, Arizona. His dad, John Curtley Plunkett, worked in the San Manuel mines; his mom, Elisabeth "MeMe" Cadenhead Plunkett, was a 3rd grade teacher in Mammoth; and his big sister Barbara was his playmate and occasional surrogate mom. Earl came from a family that cherished each other and put each other first. He had many accomplishments in his life, but what he was most proud of was his children, Jason and Melanie. They were the love of his life. Being their dad was his greatest pleasure and reward. They inspired him every day. Earl accepted the challenges in his life with courage and with dignity. He was a graduate of the Arizona State School for the Deaf and Blind and attended Pima Community College, pursuing a degree in rehabilitation counseling. Throughout his teens and twenties, he focused much of his energies on sports. In high school, he was a 4-time state wrestling champion, 1968-1971, in the 155-weight class and he both wrestled for and served as assistant coach to Eli Noble at Pima Community College. In 2002, Earl was inducted in the Arizona Chapter of the Wrestling Hall of Fame. Earl was also an avid swimmer and would swim a mile at 6 am every morning at the Downton YMCA before going to class. He loved sports and his Wildcats. When his kids were young, Earl loved riding ATVs with Jason and Melanie in the washes near the house. Earl touched many people's lives. Although he was a man of limited means, he was generous with his friends, sometimes to a fault!. He provided advice unselfishly to others. Although not a huge traveler, he did like to go to Las Vegas, Laughlin, and Roosevelt Lake. One of his favorite trips was driving to Austin, Texas, to get the best brisket in the land, from Will Bill's Barbecue. On more than one occasion, Earl rode out to Austin on his motorcycle to fill his belly and his saddlebags, and then ride back to Tucson, loaded up with barbecue, with the delicious odor of smoked brisket wafting along I-10. Unlike many people, Earl had friends of all generations; he had friends of all socioeconomic levels, and in all kinds of occupations. Earl loved to laugh, tell stories, and brighten the lives of those people around him. And he could be a bit of a prankster at times, lightening the mood or putting a new spin on a situation. Earl lived his life on his own terms, and his entrepreneurial spirit took him in many directions. His drive was unstoppable-when he set his mind on doing something, he'd accomplish that goal, no matter what. He definitely was someone who followed his own path in life. He could get great joy of little things - like strawberries and bananas for dessert or a tall, cold glass of the real, original Coke classic! In the last few years, Earl deepened his appreciation for all that life had to offer and he shared that joy with his family and friends. We hope that the memories of these wonderful times together provide comfort to his loved ones, in their moment of grief. Earl was preceded in death by his parents, grandparents, and numerous uncles and aunts. Earl is survived by his son Jason Curtley Plunkett and daughter Melanie Ann Mailloux, his sister Barbara Ann and her husband Bill (Arthur B) Disney, his niece Heather and nephew Tyler, and his cousin Billy Webb, as well as other cousins, grandchildren, a granddaughter, and grand nephews. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Ronald McDonald House Charities of Southern Arizona Inc.