Mark Pluff, 56, devoted to daughter, family and friends, an avid sports, muscle car fan

Mark Pluff , 56 , of Jamaica, Vt., passed away unexpectedly on Saturday, Jan. 13, 2018. He was the son of Mary Pluff of Canaan, Conn., and the late Robert E. Pluff. He attended Bement School in Deerfield, Mass., the Stratton School in Stratton, Vt., and graduated from Leland & Gray High School in 1980.

Mr. Pluff was an experienced carpenter, working for various contractors in the area, including his friend Scott Velsur for many years. Recently he was working as a painter, enjoying working with his hands again.

Mr. Pluff loved skiing until knee injuries kept him off the slopes and he was excited that his daughter, Grace, was learning to ski on his home mountain of Stratton. They had many lively discussions about skiing on the mountain.

Mr. Pluff also loved muscle cars and his first love was his ‘70 GTO. He attended local car shows including the Manchester Car Show, his eyes lighting up when he saw a classic muscle car in perfect condition.

Mr. Pluff took pleasure watching sports, including Patriots football, but hockey was his passion. He loved the Boston Bruins and had recently begun to familiarize his daughter with the Bruins’ history and teach her the game. He also played with the Stratton Golf League for some years. There was much frustration involved in learning the sport and often much swearing.

In addition to golf, Mr. Pluff enjoyed playing pool and was a long-time member of the Brattleboro Pool League. A great player who valued the technical aspects of the game, he was always willing to share his knowledge and spent many happy evenings playing pool at the West Townshend Village Café with his friends.

And nothing made him happier than blasting his rock ‘n’ roll music loud and hanging out with his friends. He enjoyed listening to music with his daughter and immersed her in it from a very early age. Nothing pleased him more than that her first passion was the Beatles.

Many of his friends remember the “House on the Hill” where he lived with his brother “Topher” and later his wife Joanne and where friends played pool and foosball late into the night. He loved the house’s galley kitchen and he was a “Master of the Grill.” Many fun days and nights with good food, spirits and friends and one of the most creative croquet courses ever seen will live on in the memories of Joanne and his friends.

Mr. Pluff was honest and you always knew where you stood with him. He would also be the first to admit he had some hard struggles over the last decade. His love for his daughter Grace was a strong motivator in his hard-fought efforts to overcome those struggles in the past five years. His efforts seemed to be paying off and a light had returned to his eyes in the last year that had not been there for some time.

His daughter Grace was the light of his life and he cherished his time with her, watching her fall in love with the things he loved. His wife Joanne was his rock and a support system that was always there for him.  To make Mr. Pluff laugh was a great experience: He appreciated dry wit and was known to be a great storyteller, with a life of accumulated adventures with which to regale you. He will be greatly missed by his family and friends.

In addition to his mother, he is survived by his wife Joanne and their daughter Grace of Grafton; five sibling: brothers James Pluff of Colo., Brian Pluff of Nantucket, Mass., and Christopher Pluff and his wife Kelley of Newfane and their two daughters Laura and Emily; sister Ann-Marie Plank of Charlotte, and her daughters Karla Plank and Margo Casco and husband Caleb; and sister Elizabeth Cipolla and her husband Donald of Torrington, Conn.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Grace Pluff c/o River Valley Credit Union, PO Box 8366, North Brattleboro, Vt. 05304.

A Celebration of Life will be held from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday Jan. 27 at the NewBrook Fire Department, 698 Vt. Rt. 30, Newfane.