Plachta honored at funeral service

By Benjamen Evers

Edited by Jason Baird and Sherri Krotzer and John Kennet

            A church full of people stood in applause Friday morning to honor and remember the love, the friendship, and the accomplishments of Central Michigan University’s 11^th president, Leonard E. Plachta.

“We gather to give thanks for all he has done for our community.”  These were words of a eulogy spoken by the chair of the Central Michigan University school of Accounting, Phillip Kintzele, at the Mass of funeral held at Sacred Heart Parish 302 S. Kinney Blvd.

         “He encouraged us to use our high quality attributes to enhance to lives of others,” Kintzele said.

         Leonard Plachta, who died Tuesday morning, was named interim president in 1992 and then in 1994, given the permanent job.

Rev. Thomas McNamara, priest of Sacred Heart Parish, asked, “Didn’t he [Plachta] exemplify justice and fairness . . .and friendliness?”

         “Leonard had a lot of titles,” said McNamara, “but do you know what his most important titles were?  Faithful husband and devoted father.”

         Lines of people formed in and outside of the church to comfort and embrace Leonard Plachta’s wife Louise. In the hall of the church, there were photos of Plachta with his family, friends, and students publicly displayed.

         Plachta’s sister-in-law Catherine Russell still remembers the first time she met Leonard on the Thanksgiving of 1956.

         She recalled, “We sat down to a meal with a man whom I had considered to be the best.”

         “He was fastidious about his appearance,” she said, sharing that she once witnessed him painting a fence while wearing spotless dress slacks and a neatly pressed white collared shirt.

         She said, “He was intelligent, honest, gentle and kind.”

         That morning, Plachta was remembered for being perseverant, scholarly, loyal, genuine and a true gentleman.

         “There is so much to celebrate in his life today,” McNamara said.

         Leonard and Louise were given the Distinguished Service Award, a non-academic award given by CMU intended to acknowledge and appreciate long-term and devoted volunteer efforts toward the university. Plachta was also a key facilitator in expanding and reconstructing the Charles V. Park Library.

         Russell concluded her eulogy by quoting the musical, “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolored Dreamcoat.”  She said,  “There is one more angel in heaven.  There is one more star in the sky.”