John Emerson Plummer

John Emerson Plummer of Blackburn, OK, passed from this life on Sunday, August 26, 2018.

He was the youngest of 5 children born to Charles Emerson & Lucille Bennett Plummer on August 13, 1928 in Fairfax, OK. He was the only one born in a hospital, because he was very premature. In fact, when he was born, they thought he didn’t make it and wrapped him in a blanket and placed him on a table. When the nurse went over to clean up, the blanket was moving.
He was educated in Blackburn until he had to drop out in the 10th grade and go to work in order to provide for himself.
John’s father passed when he was 12 years old. At that time, his big brother Howard that he always looked up to and spoke fondly of looked after him. He had a good relationship with his brothers and sisters and they affectionately called him “KID”.
When John was 15 he made his way to Kansas to find work harvesting wheat, but when he arrived he was 3 weeks early for the harvest with only 48 cents in his pocket. He did odd jobs for those 3 weeks and went daily to the unemployment office looking for work and one day while he was in the unemployment office a farmer came in and ask if anyone could drive a combine. John said he could, although he never had, and the farmer hired him probably knowing this and allowed him to live in their bunk house. The farmer and his wife were very good to him, he stayed through harvest, into the fall plowing and planting and through the winter helping take care of the cattle.
He met and married Betty Imogene Hager on December 11, 1946 and they were married 60 years, until her passing in 2007. They raised 3 sons, Robert Howard born in 1948, John Michael born in 1951 and Gregory Kent born in 1956. He also helped raise 3 granddaughters Leah, Robyn and Danyele after their mother passed.
John and Betty moved to Wichita, KS in 1951 while he and Betty were both employed at Boeing. In 1957 the family moved back to the farm in Blackburn, OK residing in the house that John’s dad built in 1939. Betty and the boys moved back permanently, while John got an apartment with a friend and drove back and forth on the weekends to farm the land. He continued to do this for approximately 3 years, until he quit Boeing and became a full time Farmer. After his eldest son Bob graduated from college he purchased a farm adjacent to John’s and they farmed and raised cattle together, at one point they raised as many as 800 head of cattle.
In 1987 close to his retirement he purchased oil leases and started Emerson Oil. John ran the company solely for 3 years and at that time, he entrusted his son Mike to run and operate Emerson Oil for him, so that he could enjoy retirement.
He loved fishing with his youngest son Greg and took a memorable fishing trip with all 3 of his sons to Florida.
John was a very good horseman. He loved to ride and the 2 eldest grandchildren Leah and Michael would go with their Poppa to check cattle. He also was pretty fast and beat his grandson in a race once, with his cowboy boots on.


During retirement, John and Betty enjoyed traveling.
He also loved reading anything he could get his hands on, mostly the newspapers. He loved crab legs, raw oysters, lots of trips to Red Lobster, fresh grown tomatoes, corn and growing some of the sweetest largest watermelons you could taste. He loved farming and recently told his granddaughter if he could go back and do it all over again, he would still be a farmer. He loved working on the land. John lived on his farm until the day he passed.
He was a hard-working, very generous, tough and stubborn man with true grit and instilled a hard work ethic in his children and grandchildren. He loved joking and you could bet if he loved you, you were going to get some teasing.
He is survived by son Mike and his wife Donna, daughter-in-law Layna, 11 grandchildren and their spouses Leah and Chris Stout, Michael and Courtney Plummer, Jaime and Rick O’Dell, Danyele Bellizia and Lee Darrah, Lance and Megan Plummer, Lacy and Gene Tucker, Amanda and Eric Hiller, Lauren Plummer and Aaron Stauffer. He also had 12 great-grand children, Ashlyn, Ryan, Cambry, Wade, Briley, Brock, Cassie, Kylie, Cash, Levi, Henry, Luka, Andrew and Emily. He also had a great great granddaughter Harper. He leaves behind many nieces, nephews, and a very dear friend, Denny Moreino.
He was also a faithful member & at one time a deacon of the Cleveland Church of Christ.
He is proceeded in death by his wife Betty, sons Bob and Greg, granddaughter Robyn, daughter-in-law Sarah, his parents and four siblings. Services are Friday 2:00 P.M. August 31, 2018 in the Cleveland Church Of Christ with Minister Doug Dingley officiating. Burial will follow in the Blackburn Cemetery. Serving as pallbearers will be: Michael Plummer, Lance Plummer, Chris Stout, Rick O’Dell, Ryan Stout & Lee Darrah. Services were entrusted to the Poteet Funeral Home and Cremation Services. The family wishes to extend our sincere thanks. Friends can leave a memory for the family at www.poteetfuneralhome.com In Lieu of flowers please donate to the perpetual care of the Blackburn Cemetery in John’s memory mail to 525 Blackburn Road Pawnee, Oklahoma 74058