Mr. Kenneth Louis Plante

Kenneth Louis Plante, beloved brother, husband, father, and friend, passed away on Wednesday, August 22, 2018 in Westminster, MD. Born in 1935 in Astoria, NY, Ken was the first of five children of Louis and Margaret Plante, nee McNeill. He is predeceased by his wife Carmen, brother Donald and survived by his brothers Richard and Thomas and his sister Mary Cull. Ken attended St. John’s Preparatory School and graduated from the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn with a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. Ken learned business administration through additional course work at Johns Hopkins University. Following graduation in 1956, Ken was hired by Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Linthicum, MD and worked on the development of electronic systems for Navy and Air Force assets. He married Carmen Hechmer in New York in 1959, and they began their new life together in Baltimore. Ken developed ocean dynamics sensor systems for Polaris missile submarines and participated in field qualification tests off the coast of CT and FL. He pioneered coherent radar jamming technology and became Electronic Warfare (EW) Division Chief Engineer for research and development projects. He was a longtime member of the Association of Old Crows, a professional organization for the EW industry. Ken retired from Westinghouse in 1994. Ken and Carmen grew their family in Baltimore, adding five children between 1960 and 1966: Mark Plante, Elena Plante, Jeannette Plante, Raymond Plante and Christine Rosenborough. His family was active members of St. Mark’s Catholic Parish in Catonsville, and later, after a move to Eldersburg, of St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish. Over the years, he pursued his hobby of “making sawdust,” increasing in skill from refurbishing antiques to making heirloom furniture for his grown children and his nine grandchildren. Ken held very fond memories of his time as a Boy Scout and of attending Scout camp in New York state. Ken introduced his family to camping while the children were young and instilled a deep love of the natural world in them all. Ken volunteered his leadership and time both as a Boy Scout Troop leader and on Girl Scout camping trips. Ken was busy in his retirement traveling and volunteering with the Carroll County Board of Elections, Meals On Wheels, The Carroll County Historical Society, The Carroll County Land Trust and the Saint Vincent de Paul Society. The latter was just one of the many extensions of Ken’s deep Christian faith as he supported many organizations that served society’s most vulnerable. After Carmen’s death in 2005 he continued to be an active member of his civil and religious communities, particularly St. Joseph’s, for which he held a special love and dedication. The viewing will be held on Tuesday, August 28 from 2-4pm & 6-8pm at Haight Funeral Home, 6416 Sykesville Rd.,Sykesville, MD. The Catholic funeral rite will take place at St. Joseph’s Catholic Parish, 915 Liberty Rd in Eldersburg on Wednesday, August 29 at 11:00 am. Those desiring make donations in his memory to Doctors without Borders.

Mr. Kenneth Louis Plante

August 24, 1935 - August 22, 2018