Kay graduated from Rapid City High School in 1951. After High School, she attended University of South Dakota, Brookings, before transferring to the University of Iowa, where she graduated with honors in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Later that year, she married US Naval Aviator, Ensign Herschel Plowman, and she set forth in dual careers as a Registered Nurse and Navy Spouse/Mother.
Her adventurous spirit was a perfect fit for the life she would lead, traveling to such places as Japan, Thailand, Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Mexico, and many parts of Europe. She practiced nursing in the toughest of disciplines in ICU, trauma and burn units at such prestigious hospitals as Stanford University and University of California, San Diego Medical Centers, mostly working night shifts so she could be present for her family in the afternoons.
And present she was, for every meal, every football and baseball game, gymnastics and track meet, wrestling match and Ironman competition, etc. Kay was the consummate cheerleader for all her family’s sports interests and that never ended as her kids grew and she traveled the globe to root for her adult children and grandchildren in various sporting events. She was also an energetic supporter of professional teams such as the San Diego Chargers and Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks and Cardinals.
Kay somehow found time to be a selfless volunteer for just about any cause where she thought that she could make a difference. She volunteered countless hours helping young sailors and marines working as a Navy Relief Counselor and was a big supporter of the Navy League. When disaster would strike, she traveled to places such as Houston or California to help Hurricane Katrina or wildfire refugees in Red Cross shelters. Back home, she would volunteer at Peoria stadium as an usher for spring training games.
Kay was a marching band majorette, a gourmet cook, and great at quilting, stitching and sewing. She hunted and fished from a young age and shot her first elk at the age of 10. Kay tried her hand at whitewater rafting, snow skiing, and open-ocean sailing. Her “me time” was curling up in bed with a good book, a bowl of popcorn—heavy on the butter—and a glass of milk.
Surviving in addition to her devoted and loving husband of 66 years, Captain Herschel Plowman, USN (Ret.), are sons Leigh Plowman and his wife Dagmar of Garmisch, Germany, Michael Plowman and his wife Jeannette of Ewa Beach, Hawaii; Daughter Ronda Edmonds and her husband, John of Phoenix, Arizona; grandchildren, Laura Wright, David Wegehaupt, Rachel Mead, Anna Wanisch, Sofia Wanisch, Mikaela Plowman, Michael Plowman Jr, Sean Edmonds and Madison Edmonds.; great grandchildren, Allison Wright, Lucas Wright and Schaffer Edmonds.
A Celebration of Life will be held on 14 December, 2022 at 2:30 pm, at Community of Grace, 10561 W Pinnacle Peak Road, Peoria, AZ 85383
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations in her memory to Debriefing the Front Lines ( https://debriefingthefrontlinesinc.org/donate ) or Community of Grace ( https://boldrecklessgrace.org/giving/ )
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.surprisefuneralcare.com for the Plowman family.
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