Albert Gilbert Plourde

Albert Gilbert Plourde, Jr., 80, of Concord, NH, died peacefully and surrounded by family, February 26, 2016 at Harris Hill Center after long illness. Al was born in Millinocket, Maine on October 16, 1935 to Albert and Isabel (Plourd) Plourde. He is survived by his wife Jean (Piotrowski) of almost 60 years; son and daughter-in-law Gregory and Mary Plourde of Summit Point, WV; daughter and son-in-law, Jeannette and Charles Passanisi of Medford, MA; and daughter and son-in-law Michelle and Christopher St. John of Hollis, NH; 8 grandchildren; three sisters, Patricia Moglia of Andover, MA, Pauline (Polly) Mascetta of Buzzards Bay, MA, and Theresa Voisine of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents and four brothers, Albert Montford; Vinal; Leonard; and Roger Plourde.

Al attended St. Martin of Tours School in Millinocket before joining the U.S. Marine Corps in January 1953. After completion of boot camp in Paris Island, Al was stationed in Camp Lejeune, NC, Quantico, and Portsmouth, VA until he was honorably discharged in 1956. It was in Quantico where he met his wife, Jean. They married in April, 1956 in Brooklyn, NY and lived both in Millinocket and Brooklyn before settling in Concord, May 1959 when Al purchased and operated Al's Esso in Franklin, NH. With the completion of the new Interstate 93, Al sold the service station, and worked as a salesman for Banks Chevrolet in Concord eventually finding his career as a pipefitter/welder with the UA Local 131 Plumbers & Steamfitters. He attended the Hobart Institute of Welding Technology in Troy, OH, and worked for close to forty years traveling throughout the Northeast and Midwest on both hydro and nuclear power plants, manufacturing facilities, and government buildings. While recuperating from back surgery during the 1970's, he expanded his wife's business, Genie's Ceramics by selling their iconic frog pottery figurines and pumpkins/jack o'lanterns to gift shops across the state.

Known to many as "Big Al" or "Papa Al," he was an avid fisherman, enjoying the sport year round catching trout, bass, pickerel and fresh water salmon wherever there was water and on his beloved boat, the Misty Mornin'. He loved animals, a good home-cooked meal, apple pie, soft-serve ice cream, and his grandchildren. After retiring, Al devoted much of his time to the U.S. Marine Corps League, Gary Dillon Post in Bow, NH., serving first as the post's detachment recruiting officer and then as Commandant. Devoted to the Corps, he built and displayed two parade floats honoring Iwo Jima and Iron Mike. He especially enjoyed participating in the Concord Christmas and Memorial Day parades.

Since entering Harris Hill Center in November 2011, "Papa Al" brought much joy and humor to those who cared for him.

A memorial service celebrating his life will take place on Friday, March 18 at 10:30 a.m. at Harris Hill Center, 20 Maitland Avenue. A military service will be held at 1 p.m. at the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, 110 Daniel Webster Highway, Boscawen, NH. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to: Pope Memorial SPCA of Concord-Merrimack County, 94 Silk Farm Road, Concord, NH 03301.