Joseph Wayne Plageman

Fondly known as Red Drum for his world-record catch, Joseph Wayne Plageman, 65, was a firefighter by trade and a fisherman at heart. After almost three decades as a Henrico County firefighter, he retired to the Chesapeake Bay and became a charter boat captain. His greatest catch was the love of his life, Peggy, his wife of 39 years. He took extreme pride in raising his two daughters, Jessica and Kendall. He was the MVP of the PTA, volunteering to teach fire safety and starring in all the school plays.

A born practical jokester, his favorite holiday was Halloween so he could scare the daylights out of trick-or-treaters. He kept his family, friends, and fellow firefighters looking over our shoulders with his mischievous sense of humor. Rubber snakes and fake lotto tickets were his favorite pranks. He was the ultimate animal lover and never met a dog he didn’t like. He loved milkshakes, steakhouses with buckets of peanuts, softball, afternoon naps in his recliner, campfires, star gazing, and peanut M&Ms by the handful. We wish he had more time with his two adorable grandsons, Cole (5) and Dean (3) Christensen, who want to be just like their PaPa when they grow up. He instilled in his daughters the value of hard work and strong will, all of which he embodied right up until the end of his journey here on earth on June 17, 2015.

The family will receive friends on Thursday, June 25, from 5 to 7 p.m. at Woody Funeral Home, 1771 N. Parham Rd., Richmond, Virginia 23229. With a Celebration of Life at 6:00 p.m.. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, www.theaftd.org.