Wilma R. Morgenstern Plummer

Wilma R. Morgenstern Plummer, 95 of Missoula passed away Friday March 25, 2016 at Bee Hive Homes in Missoula of natural causes, after a long and colorful life.
Wilma was born April 11, 1920 in Pine Bluffs, Wyoming to William and Estie Jacobson.

The family moved to Cheyenne, Wyoming where she attended grade school and graduated from high school.
In 1939 while Hitler was gaining power in Europe, the news in newspapers was very dark and depressing. The local newspaper wanted to print something that was light and entertaining. They created a story where this pretty young girl (Wilma) went into the wilderness outside of Cheyenne and lived for 3 days and 3 nights just to see if she could do it. She was clothed in a burlap garment, barefoot, and was armed with only a bow and arrow and a hunting knife. She supposedly lived on berries and a rabbit which she had killed. (No way, Wilma loved bunnies) and she slept in a cave. They called her "Tarzana". The story and the photographs were well received and printed in newspapers as far away as Chicago and New York City. She received fan mail from people all over the country. With the help of the Wyoming State Archives the family has been able to recover most of this interesting history. For anyone who knew Wilma this small chapter in her life would come as a surprise. Wilma was never one to seek the spotlight, but always the quiet little lady smiling in the background.
In 1941 she married Harold Morgenstern who was a Civil Engineer. He was sent (with Wilma) by his employer to Haiti to design and build irrigation systems for American banana plantations. It would take a book to share the adventures that Wilma experienced in Haiti.

After the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Harold was commissioned to serve in the Navy Construction Corp. (SeaBees).Wilma came home from Haiti by herself in the bottom of a banana boat. She remembered being worried about the possibility of German submarines in the Gulf of Mexico. She was pregnant with her first son, Jack. She lived with her parents in Cheyenne where Jack was born.
After his service they lived a short time in Fort Collins, Colorado where second son Dick was born.
In 1945, Harold and his lifelong friend, Raymond Schelt started M&S Construction and
moved to Montana for construction work. Wilma's daughter, Dora Lee was born in Missoula in 1946.
In the following years, Wilma was the model homemaker and mother for her family. She was a very creative and a talented seamstress and tailor. She took pride in the everyday clothes, the wedding dresses, and leather jackets that she created.

Wilma was active as a leader in The Bitterroot 4-H Club. She was also very active in her church. In the early 50's she would drive all over Missoula's north and west sides every Sunday morning in our 1942 Buick Roadmaster picking up kids and
taking them to the little Nazarene church on 6th St. In her words "It is important that kids are churched".
In 1961 Wilma and Harold were divorced. In 1963 Wilma married Emory Plummer, a Missoula native. They moved to Las Vegas, Nevada where they owned and operated two Fish and Chip Restaurants for years.
Upon retirement Wilma and Emory moved to the Oregon Coast, where they resided until Emory's death in 1993. After several years, the family helped Wilma move back to Montana. She lived 20 years in Lewistown, close to Jack and wife Ann until 2015. Wilma had many friends and she loved her life.
This past October a major setback took away her independence. The family moved her to Missoula where she lived out the rest of her life in the quality care of Bee Hive Homes and Rocky Mountain Hospice.
Wilma was non-judgmental, open minded, forgiving, generous, and selfless. She loved everyone.
Wilma is survived by sons Jack (Ann) Morgenstern, Lewistown, MT, Dick ((Marsha)
Morgenstern, Frenchtown, MI, and daughter Dora Lee (Larry) Stephens,
Bakersfield, CA; along with 8 grandchildren and 15 great-grandchildren. She is also survived by Emory's three sons, Emory Jr., Gary, and Bruce Plummer.
Wilma was preceded in death by her parents; husband Emory Plummer; sister Eunice Muir; and first husband Harold.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date to be announced. Cremation has taken place at Garden City Funeral Home and Crematory.



Read Wilma Plummer's Obituary and Guestbook on www.missoulafuneralhomes.com.