Patricia Marie Plack

In every great ballpark, there’s a hero whose legacy is etched into the dirt, the dugouts, and the hearts of everyone lucky enough to share the field. For generations of players, students, family, and fans, that hero was Patricia “Pat” Plack, who took her final lap around the bases on November 23, 2025.

Born the fifth of eleven children to George and Margaret, Pat learned early how to compete, how to hustle, and most importantly how to show up for her team. Her first taste of the game came not from a uniform, but from shagging baseballs for the teams her father coached. What started as a daughter helping her dad soon became the opening chapter of a storied athletic career.

At just 13 years old, Pat took her swing at something big: a tryout for the Kansas City Dons softball team. She made the roster, and for the next 14 years she traveled the country with them. She began as an outfielder, but her instincts, grit, and leadership soon moved her to shortstop, the position where her legend was forged. Among her highlight-reel moments, one stood tallest: the day she launched a home run clear over the fence during a game in Topeka, a shot still talked about in Don's lore.

When it came time to hang up her cleats, Pat didn’t step off the field; she simply walked onto a new one. She became a physical education teacher, a role she embraced for 31 years. Shaping young athletes with the same passion and discipline she’d honed on the diamond.

In her early teaching years, Pat married the love of her life, John, and together they built their greatest team: their family. Raising her children meant countless hours at ball fields, volleyball courts, and every sports venue with a scoreboard and bleachers. Pat never once shied from the role of coach, cheerleader, chauffeur, or loudest fan in the stands.

Her roster of loved ones grew even richer when she became a grandmother. John and Kate brought her immeasurable joy, giving her yet another reason to grab a folding chair and head to the next big game.

Pat is survived by her children Christy, Shon (Stacy), and Nicole, her cherished grandchildren John and Kate, siblings Terry, Ed (Robin), Bob, and John (Debbie), dozens of nieces and nephews, and friends who were more like family. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband John, her parents George and Margaret, and siblings George, Mitzi, Barbara, Katie, Bill, and Tom.

Though her physical presence has left the field, Pat’s spirit will forever round the bases in the lives she touched. Her quick wit, unfiltered honesty, Christmas spirit, strong faith, and fierce, loyal love were hallmarks of a woman who played every inning like it mattered and made everyone around her believe it did.

For those who knew her, Pat wasn’t just part of the game. She was the heart of it.

Visitation will be from 6:00-8:00 PM on Tuesday, December 2, 2025 at McGilley State Line Chapel with praying of the Rosary at 6:00 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11:30 AM Wednesday, December 3 at Our Lady of the Presentation Catholic Church, Lee's Summit, Missouri, followed by burial in Mt. Olivet Cemetery.