Until the end, he loved giving (and ice cream)

By STEPHANIE HAYES, Times Staff Writer
Published September 21, 2007

NEW PORT RICHEY - Andrew Plack was an outgoing, ornery little boy who had six older sisters. He was good with women.

In grade school, he knew a girl named Johanna who lived in his Ohio neighborhood. Once in a while, they would walk to school side by side.

When they grew up, Johanna married someone else and had a son. Soon, her husband died.

Andrew and Johanna saw each other around town. He worked at a local funeral home. She worked at the electric company. Johanna and her co-workers would park in front of the funeral home during lunch.

In 1952, Andrew called Johanna. Did she want to go to a New Year's Eve party?

She was newly widowed and hadn't yet dated. But something felt right. Familiar.

She went to the party.

A month later, on Valentine's Day, Andrew had a ring fashioned with his mother's diamond. He asked for Johanna's hand in marriage.

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Every night, Andrew rocked his daughter, Kathy, and sang the same hymn: In the Garden.

He strived to provide for Johanna, Tom and Kathy. He left the funeral business and became a manager at the local electric company. Sometimes, he'd bring his work home.

Andrew took the kids antique shopping and fed his sweet tooth at ice cream parlors. Sometimes, he played the lottery. It was his dream to win and donate the money anonymously.

In 1986, he and Johanna moved to Florida. Andrew joined his homeowner's association in New Port Richey and got involved at Asbury United Methodist Church on Thys Road.

Five years ago, he fell ill with a blood disease. Recently, he had blood transfusions every other week.

He stayed upbeat in the hospital, asking nurses for hot fudge sundaes. When asked about allergies, he spouted, "Black eyed peas!" He wasn't allergic, just hated them.

His family rallied around him, bringing food to the hospital when he was too sick to go out. On Tuesday, Andrew died. He was 81.

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Andrew kept his funeral license, but never got back into the business. Not exactly.

More than a decade ago, he noticed New Port Richey's East Elfers Cemetery - overgrown, vandalized and littered with tacky signs. Andrew and a friend decided to revive the cemetery, Johanna said. They pulled out dead trees and made it beautiful again.

It's where his ashes will be buried.

Stephanie Hayes can be reached at shayes@sptimes.com or 727 893-8857.

Biography

Andrew Plack

Born: April 12, 1926

Died: Sept. 18, 2007

Survivors: Wife, Johanna; children, Thomas Plack and Kathy Horvath, grandchildren, David Plack, Stacie Horvath, Christopher Horvath; sister, Jean E. Plack.

Services: 2 p.m. Sept. 28 at Ashbury United Methodist Church, 4204 Thys Road, New Port Richey. Michels & Lundquist Funeral Home.

[Last modified September 20, 2007, 22:48:57]