Dorothy Ruth Plake, 78, of Springfield, MO, died on July 4, 2021, at Maranatha Village in Springfield.
Services were held on Saturday, July 10, at Central Assembly in Springfield, MO. Burial will be held at 2 p.m., on Monday, July 12, at Zion Cemetery in Lincoln. Walnut Lawn Funeral Home in Springfield, MO, assisted the family with arrangements.
Ms. Plake was born on March 1, 1943, in Hillsboro, to Rev. David C. Plake, Sr., and Dorothy C. (Botkin) Plake. In 1961, she graduated from Lincoln Community High School (LCHS) in Lincoln, where she later taught mathematics and served as head of the math department. At Illinois State University (ISU), she earned a bachelor’s degree in education in 1965 and a master’s degree in education in 1972. While teaching at LCHS, Dorothy also taught classes at her nearby alma mater, ISU.
Ms. Plake loved teaching, even after her retirement from LCHS, she volunteered as a professor at American Indian College (AIC) in Phoenix, AZ, preparing future teachers to serve the Native American community. On completing her service at AIC, she returned to central Illinois, where she lived in Springfield and became involved in ministry at Calvary Temple Christian Center. She finally retired to Maranatha Village in Springfield, MO, where she enjoyed worship and fellowship with friends at Central Assembly and at Maranatha Village.
Ms. Plake selflessly invested her life in others through teaching, music, art and poetry. As an accomplished vocalist, pianist and organist, she served Assemblies of God churches in Lincoln and Mason City with her musical talent. In later years, she was unable to sing; however, she gave regular organ concerts to her fellow residents at Maranatha Village. She was known to write poems and create custom-made greeting cards for family and friends.
Though Ms. Plake never had children, she loved her nephews and their families as if they were her own. She also gave selflessly to care for her mother through many years of illness and frailty. Her greatest joys were spending time with her extended family, playing worship music and reading voraciously.
Ms. Plake is survived by her brother, Rev. David C. (Roberta) Plake, Jr.; nephews, Rev. David C. (Regenia) Plake, III, and Rev. Dr. John F. (Mary) Plake; two great nephews, D.C and J.L.; and four great nieces, Macenzie, Carissa, Hannah and Bethany.
She was preceded in death by her parents; and her half-sister Mabel (Plake) Buss..
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to American Indian College, 10020 N. 15th Ave., Phoenix, AZ 85021, www.aicag.edu.
