John K. Pleacher

John K. Pleacher, 80, of Owensboro, formerly of Falls Church, Arlington and Williamsburg, Va., and Falling Waters, W.Va., died Oct. 10, 2005, at Owensboro Medical Health System.

He was the son of the late Henry J, and Martha H. Pleacher. He rose to captain in the U.S. Air Force and served as a navigator, bombardier and radar observer during World War II. Mr. Pleacher was a graduate of George Washington University (AB) and American University (MA), both in Washington, D.C. His career in education was served in Arlington County, Va., where he began teaching at Thomas Jefferson Junior High School, moved to assistant principal of Claude M. Swanson Junior High School and then to principal of Brandon, Gunston and Kenmore junior high schools. He returned to the classroom at Kenmore Junior High School in 1975 and was selected as the Virginia state teacher of the year for 1984. Mr. Pleacher was the first recipient of the George Washington University School of Education and Human Development Dean's Special Achievement Award in Teaching and was one of the first teachers to receive the Washington Post's Agnes Meyer Outstanding Teacher Award. While teaching, Mr. Pleacher also served as school probation counselor for the Arlington County Juvenile and Domestic Relations Court and taught mathematics in summer school for the University of Virginia. Upon retirement, he served as an evaluator for Virginia's Beginning Teacher Assistance Program and later served as an historical interpreter for Colonial Williamsburg Foundation. He also volunteered as court manager for the Ninth District Court Service Unit in Williamsburg. He was a volunteer in the registration-admissions office of City Hospital in Martinsburg, W.Va., and had presently been volunteering in the cardiac unit at OMHS.

He leaves his wife of 60 years, Isabel (Kay) Pleacher, at home; two sons, David H. Pleacher of Stephens City, Va., and John R. Pleacher of Pine Knob; three grandchildren, Amy Elizabeth Cotter of Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla., Michael David Pleacher of Salt Lake City and Sarah Catherine Harding of Fort Collins, Colo.; and four great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by two sisters, June P. Roth and Margaret E. Pleacher.

Mr. Pleacher was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Owensboro and formerly served as president of the congregation of Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Falls Church, where he and his wife were sponsors for the young people's Luther League Program for seven years. He was dean of boys for two years for the leadership training program of the American Lutheran Church held at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Pa.

A memorial service will be held at Trinity Episcopal Church at 2 p.m. Friday, Oct. 14, with Father Pat Connell officiating.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Trinity Episcopal Church, 720 Ford Ave., Owensboro, KY 42301-4632, the Memorial Fund, Zion Lutheran Church, 35 W. Potomac St., Williamsport, MD 21795, or to Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, P.O. Box 1776, Williamsburg, VA 23187-1776.