Robert William Plass was born March 16th,1925 and died March 28, 2026. Bill grew up on Hickory Ridge Farm, in Pleasant Valley, New York, and lived in the same house for all of his 101 years. He lived there with his parents Edward L. and Louise Hamburger Plass as a young boy and teenager, honing both his farming and comedic skills alongside his brother, Bris, and five sisters, Barbara, Ruth, Anne, June and Nancy.

He attended Arlington Schools and then Cornell University, pausing to enlist in the Army during World War II. He met his wife of 56 years, Helen Janet Palmer or Hollie, when he returned to Cornell. A match for his wit, they then raised four children, Bob, Janet, Martha, and Lorraine and many thousands of chickens.

His legacy to his family in various proportions includes: loving to grow things, spontaneous singing, music of many kinds, eating beef and pie, driving a tractor, puns and saying the alphabet backwards. He farmed his whole life. The farm produced 6,000 eggs a day that they supplied to many local businesses and Vassar College. He and Hollie also planted, sold, and donated Christmas trees, sweet corn, field corn, wheat, and hay. They had a large vegetable garden, and enjoyed flower gardening together. After he stopped producing eggs he raised steers, hay, and straw until he fully retired at 94, amazing his friends when he invested in a new hay baler when he was well into his 80's. He was a lifelong member of the First Presbyterian Church of Pleasant Valley, a church community he supported for many years and who generously supported him in his later years.

He was a longtime supporter of Cornell, where 4 generations of his family attended the College of Agriculture. He loved playing bridge and pinochle, shooting caroms, telling jokes, and entertaining friends with Hollie.

He is survived by his daughter, Martha, and her husband Dennis Sheehe, his daughter Lorraine and her husband Don Stebbins, and his son-in-law, Jeff Portzer. Also his grandchildren, Rebecca (Tramaine) Plass Oden, Jeremy (Caelli) Portzer, Benjamin (Trisha) Sheehe, Margaret Sheehe, Joelle (Josh) Portzer, Peter (Allison) Sheehe, and John (Maggie) Sheehe as well as nine great-grandchildren and two great-great grandchildren. He is also survived by many Plass and Palmer nieces and nephews.

Bill was predeceased by his wife, and their children Bob and Janet, also his daughter-in-law Anita, granddaughter Jennifer Plass, and great-grandson Nicholas.

The family is ever grateful to Bill's neighbors, church community, friends and his terrific team of carers, first at home and then at GlenBrook in Pennsylvania.

Memorial contributions may be made to the First Presbyterian Church of Pleasant Valley, PO Box 660, Pleasant Valley, NY 12569, where he worshipped for almost 100 years http://www.pvpresby.com/ or to Hudson Valley Honor Flight ATTN: Donations PO Box 375 Walden, NY 12586 which was a very meaningful trip for him and his friend, Ed Fitchett in 2019.

hvhonorflight.com/donate/

A memorial service will be held, Saturday, April 18th at 1.p.m. at the First Presbyterian Church, 1576 Main Street, Pleasant Valley. A zoom link will also be available.