Alma Lou (Thrush) Plunkett

June 6, 2025

Alma Lou (Thrush) Plunkett, 87, passed away in Garden City, KS at Ranch House Senior Living on May 17, 2025.  Alma was born on December 10, 1937, in Syracuse, KS to Wesley Miles Thrush and Alma Gladys Thrush, an only child.  Her parents were farmers in rural Staton County KS later moving to a farm 21 miles south of Holly Colorado.  

Alma’s Dad passed away when she was 10 years old.  She worked hard helping her mother with the chores and farming.  Glen and Ruth Miller were close friends and were instrumental in her life especially during her teen years.  The Millers were lifelong friends who were considered family.  

Alma graduated from the Holly High School in 1956 later attending a teacher’s college in Alva Oklahoma.  She taught in the Bear Creek Community School after getting her teaching license.  

She attended the Holly CO Church of the Nazarene with her mother in her early adult years.  One Sunday while playing the organ she saw a tall handsome man named Howard Plunkett.  They were married on December 26, 1960, at the Holly Church.  

She stopped teaching to become a farmer’s wife on the Plunkett Kansas/Colorado Line family farm with Howard north of Coolidge KS.  In the early years she cooked and provided three meals a day for her family and the hired men they employed to help do the farming.  She was especially good at baking tall soft fluffy biscuits.  She taught herself to bake and decorate wedding cakes that she gladly made for family events.  She loved to garden and raise flowers in her free time. She also spent time helping farm by running tractors, raising and caring for various farm animals.  

Howard and Alma have four children.  Harmon, Harlan, Nelda, and Wesley.  Nelda passed away as an infant.  They also helped raise a foster son, Carl who was a cherished member of the family.  Alma loved and excelled in her role of being Mom and raised the boys teaching them about faith and hard work.  As time passed, she took on a new role as “Grammie” to Whitney, Lucas, Audrey, and Devan.  She loved her role as a grandma.  

During her years of raising kids, she was actively involved in the Hamilton County 4-H program.  She served as a Club leader for the C-4 and Straight Shooters clubs.  She invested her energy and time into the youth in these clubs doing whatever it took to help them be successful.  In addition, she served at various times on the Hamilton County Library board, and the Hamilton County extension council.  In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s she was a volunteer helping with the Cemetery at Coolidge KS.  She was involved in the initial project that created a map visitors could use to find graves of loved ones and friends.  She was very proud of that project when it was finished.  

Howard passed away in August 1998.  Alma moved off the farm to Syracuse during the summer of 2005.  During her working years in addition to farming she held various positions around Syracuse.  Some of those include the Hamilton County Nursing Home as a nursing aid, Bill Montgomery as his office manager of Central Investment.  She was a law secretary working for the Terril law firm, and later the Westblade law firm.  During those years I believe both attorneys spent time as the County attorney.  She also worked for a time in the deli at the Syracuse Food Center and as a Cashier for Duckwall’s.  

Alma had many hobbies, she loved making clothes for dolls, doing photography, leather working, various crafts and of course cooking.  Many years she volunteered helping with the Hamilton County Fair doing various tasks as needed.  She also loved volunteering and supporting her church.  She especially enjoyed participating in the drama and choir presentations.  

She is survived by her three sons, Harmon of Holcomb KS, Harlan of Olathe KS, and Wesley of Wichita KS, her four grandchildren and several great grandchildren, and many extended family relatives and local friends.  

Her Memorial Service will be at 10 a.m. Mountain time, Wednesday June 18th, 2025, at the Syracuse Wesleyan Church.  Immediately following the service her remains will be interred in the Coolidge, KS cemetery next to Howard.  Memorial money can be donated in her honor to the Wesleyan Church in Syracuse.

Her family wishes to thank the Saint Catherine Hospice care team and the Ranch House staff for their expert care during her final years and illness.  They were amazing.