Dewey Plank

Melvin Dewitt “Dewey” Plank, 96, passed away on Saturday, July 22, 2023 in Buhl, Idaho with his family by his side.  

Dewey was born on April 2, 1927 in Santa Monica, CA to Melvin and Mary Plank.  He graduated from Santa Monica High School in 1944, where he participated in baseball and football.  He then attended Santa Monica City College before entering the United States Army, serving in Florida and Virginia.

Dewey married Marlene Stephenson on April 7, 1951 in Los Angeles.  He served 30 years in the Los Angeles County Fire Department, retiring as Captain.  The family lived in Bishop for 13 years before Dewey retired in 1981, finally ending the 400-mi commute between Bishop and Lancaster.  Both Marlene and Dewey taught skiing to students in Bishop for many years up at Mammoth Mountain. 

After retirement in 1981 they sold their house in Bishop and moved to Hayden Lake and then Sandpoint, Idaho for the next 40 years, close to Schweitzer Mountain Ski Resort and Lake Pend Oreille. Dewey and Marlene enjoyed Volksmarching, RVing, tennis, boating, skiing, traveling and were very active in the Catholic Church wherever they lived.

Dewey is survived by his sister Ann Boothby in Colorado, his four sons Bob (Marci), John (Tami), Ken (Jeannine), and Jeff (Jackie); 9 grandchildren Heidi (Melissa), Misty (Keith), Jason (Stephanie), Jeremy (Laurie), Emilee, Riley, Hannah, Brett, and Kamber (Bryson); also 9 great-grandchildren: Max, Sam, Liam, Luke, Dylin, Jacob, Cameron, Haley, Emberlee.

He was preceeded in death by his parents, wife Marlene (2020) and sister Carol O’Conner.

Memorial donations may be made to St. Joseph’s Catholic Church 601 S. Lincoln Ave, Sandpoint, ID 83864.

A Memorial Mass will be celebrated Friday, August 25, 2023, 10:00am at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, 1701 Poplar Street, Buhl, Idaho 83316.

A Rosary will be said at 10:15 am at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Sandpoint, ID followed by a Memorial Mass at 11:00 am on Tuesday, August 29, 2023 with Fr. Rob Cook officiating.

Memories and condolences may be left on Dewey’s memorial webpage at www.farmerfuneralchapel.com.