DUANE PLANK

June 08, 2016

Duane Ray Plank, born December 26, 1934 in Monticello, Missouri and passed away June 2, 2016 in Huntsville, Alabama at his home.

As a young boy he was a constant companion of his father until his father married Letha Thompkins of Williamstown, Missouri in 1943. From childhood he was a free- spirited boy, enjoying playing in the outdoors on his parent’s farm in Lewis County, Missouri as well as riding horses. He attended Kirksville State College, Kirksville, Missouri before volunteering for the draft in the US Army where he concentrated on achieving high performance to get the best assignments. He graduated from medic school in Fort Sam Houston, Texas and enjoyed serving as a medic for most of his Army career. He engaged his hard work ethics he had learned on the farm to achieve success in the Army. Returning from a stint in Korea, he attended the University of Missouri graduating with a BS degree in Agriculture Extension. While there he met Elaine Stewart, a professional nursing student at Blessing Reiman College of Nursing and they were married on June 26, 1960 in her hometown of Kahoka, Missouri.

Elaine joined him on Skyview Farms in Trenton, Missouri where he was managing a progressive accelerated swine program and she was a nurse at a Chillicothe, Missouri hospital. From there Duane went into Agriculture Sales in Brookfield, Missouri before moving to Springfield, Missouri where he rose to the youngest Vice President of Modern Security Life Insurance Company. After much market research, he and the Modern Security Life Insurance comptroller moved to Huntsville, Alabama to begin Vanguard Security Life Insurance Company in 1966. Those efforts flourished where they reached a coveted position in the Best Insurance rating schedule. He moved on to Equity Funding Corporation and onto his own insurance broker business which he enjoyed until his passing. Duane had the opportunity to earn incentive trips which he and Elaine enjoyed.

His ready smile will be missed by many in the Huntsville community and beyond as well as his sense of humor. He was passionate about his work with the Huntsville Optimist Club where he achieved recognition including Lieutenant Governor of the Alabama-Mississippi District and he always helped the children who benefited from the Optimist Club’s generosity. Throughout his life Duane enjoyed going to church and most recently Duane was a very active member of Whitesburg Baptist Church where he was the leader of his Sunday school group as well as other churches in the area.

He is survived by his wife of 56 years, Elaine Stewart Plank, owner of Safe Health Inc. in Huntsville, daughter, Gaye (Plank) Mayo of Orange Beach, Alabama and her son, Jack Raymond Mayo who is attending Piedmont College in Demorest, Georgia, son, David Duane Plank (Candace) and their son, Trenton David Plank of Huntsville, where David is the general manager of Rosie’s Mexican Cantina, and son, Daniel Ray Plank (Monica), and children; Kile Meadows, Chase Wright and Maddie Wright of Bloomington, Indiana.

Preceded in death by his mother, Gladys Lillard Plank, brother Darrell Dean Plank and twin infant sisters by the time he was 5 years old as well as his father, John Raymond Plank and his stepmother, Letha Thompkins Plank.

Visitation was held June 5, 2016, at Laughlin Service Funeral Home. The funeral service was held June 6 at Whitesburg Baptist South Campus.

Burial was in Huntsville Memory Gardens.

(www.laughlinservice.com)
In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the Hawthorne Conservatory of Huntsville, Alabama and Gideons International.