Keith Ronald Plymell

Keith Ronald Plymell, 89, of Pattonsburg, MO passed away June 26, 2025 at home. 

Keith was the son of Delbert J. and Donna M. (Gardner) Plymell of Pattonsburg, MO. Keith was called “Bluegill” by friends and people he didn’t even know. He grew up on a farm that had been in the family for generations. 

Keith attended grade school at Oak Ridge and graduated from Pattonsburg High School in 1953. After graduation he bought a tractor and started renting ground to farm. He began fishing, hunting and trapping at a very early age. He liked to hunt ducks and geese on the refuges around Chillicothe, MO. Keith made many trips to Iowa pheasant hunting and enjoyed fishing trips to Minnesota and Arkansas. He liked to grow things and planted huge watermelon and muskmelon patches which he enjoyed sharing with his friends and neighbors. He bought his first farm just before entering the Army. Keith later expanded his farm and raised soybeans, corn, wheat, hay and Black Angus cattle until his retirement in 2002. 

Keith served in the Army at Fort Leonard Wood, Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland and Fulda, Germany. When he had time off in Europe, he and two friends traveled by car through many countries seeing most of the major sites and cities. Upon returning home from the Army Keith married Betty Lou Mooney on October 21, 1960, at the Heath Methodist Chapel. Keith and Betty were lifelong members of the Heath United Methodist Church and attended services as a family for many years. They treasured the close friendships of their church family. 

Keith’s knowledge of plants and weeds was amazing. Keith instilled his love of books, gardening, fishing and hunting in his children. Keith and Betty started taking them on picnics and exploring the countryside on Sunday afternoons when they were quite young. Later they all enjoyed camping trips. 

Keith enjoyed the neighbor-hood deer. He would stop along the road and talk to the does, He’d say, “Girls, Girls, How are my Girls today”. The deer would just stand and listen to him. He started putting corn on the ground outside the house windows. This proceeded to him setting on a bucket and calling out to the deer. “Girls come and get your corn!” In a few min-utes the deer would show up. They felt safe near the house and even had their young near the house where he could watch them. Everyone knew that you didn’t shoot “Bluegills” deer. 

Keith served for many years on the MFA and MFA Oil Board, the Big Creek Watershed Board and the Township Road Board. He also received several awards for completing soil conserva-tion practices. Keith’s carpentry skills enabled them to renovate and restore the historic home they moved from Old Pattons-burg in 1996. 

Keith was preceded in death by his mother and father. 

Survivors are his wife Betty of 64 years of the home; daughters Shannon Plymell of the home, Gina Scott of Pattonsburg, MO, Jacqueline (Scott) McClure of Bethany, MO; son, Kenton (Pam) Plymell of Pattonsburg, MO; sister Joan Boeglin of Mar-tinsville, MO; nine grandchil-dren; one step great and 7 great grandchildren; plus several nieces and nephews. 

Funeral services were held at 2:00 p.m. Wednesday, July 2, at Roberson Funeral Home, Pattonsburg, MO. Burial with Military Rites followed at Oak Ridge Cemetery, Pattonsburg, MO. 

Memorials may be made to the Pattonsburg Senior Center in care of Roberson Funeral Home, P.O. box 152, Pattonsburg, MO 64670. Online condolences may be left at www.robersonfuneral-home. com.