Edward P. Plympton

Edward P. Plympton

Edward P. Plympton of Meridian, Idaho and a proud veteran of the U.S. Air Force, passed away on Tuesday, June 24, 2025, with his wife, Rose, holding his hand. Ed was born November 13, 1948, to Francis Sr. and Eva (Ladew) Plympton in Canandaigua, NY. The fourth of five children, he enjoyed summers at Roseland amusement park playing Fascination and spending time with his oldest sister Dottie and her husband Tony Pesco.

Ed graduated from Canandaigua Academy High School in 1966 and enlisted in the U.S. Air Force in May 1968. He served his country with pride including overseas tours in Guam, the Philippines, and Turkey. His military decorations include the Bronze Star and the Philippine Presidential Unit Citation. He retired after 24 years, having attained the rank of master sergeant, and went on to work in civil service at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho.

Ed and Rose married on October 4, 1986, blending their two families with children Tricia, Brian, and Crystal. They lived in Mountain Home, Idaho until 2015 when they moved to Meridian, Idaho. Ed loved spending time with his family and did so with consistency: summer weekends at Wild Waters, 4th of July picnics with church family from First Southern Baptist Church, playing games around the kitchen table, and of course his regular evening walks with Rose.

Ed was a lover of food, travel and fishing. He and Rose took their first trip abroad after their retirement to explore the heart of Europe, spending time traveling along the Rhine and Danube Rivers. It kicked off fifteen years of wonderful trips around the world which included the Mediterranean, the Amazon, Norway, Portugal, Israel and their final trip together traveling along the Mississippi River. These “big trips” were interspersed with shorter local trips, often with additional family and friends, including his final vacation to the Oregon Coast with Rose, Crystal, Josh and Cooper. If you ever shared a good meal with Ed or were around when he got a chance to eat one of Rose’s mom’s peach pies, you can probably hear his sounds of enjoyment in your mind. While he may have started life with a pretty conventional palette, his daughter Crystal slowly broadened his horizons and he never turned down an invitation to dinner at their house, especially if Josh was smoking ribs.

Ed was a giver. He served as a Sunday morning greeter starting at First Southern Baptist Church in Mountain Home and later at The Pursuit in Boise. We have heard many stories in the past days about how he was the first person to welcome them and remember their name. He also served as a bell ringer for the Salvation Army for several years and, after his retirement, he assisted KTSY by making phone calls to pray with people over the phone and helping during special events. He also enjoyed his time in his daughter Tricia’s classroom, where he read with kids and played math games.

Ed would want it said that his favorite ministry was supporting Commission, the Christian youth camp his daughter Crystal founded and which focused on serving the local community. He and Rose supported the camp in many ways, but Ed did so primarily by the affectionate title of “go-fer” as it was his job during camp week to go between the volunteer sites making preparations and providing supplies. If you needed something, Ed would go and get it. In this unassuming role Ed made genuine relationships with the people we were serving and became a stand-in dad and grandpa to hundreds of staff and students. Ed served others faithfully and selflessly, never looking for accolades.

Whether you met Ed along a hiking path, in a cruise dining room, volunteering or being greeted by him at church, you were an instant and forever friend in his book. He loved people quickly and deeply. To know him was to be loved by him. His love for others was a direct reflection of the love he felt from his heavenly father.

You could not talk long with Ed without hearing about his Rose. He adored his wife and demonstrated his love in big ways and small, but he excelled in showing her daily how she was still and always his best friend and most cherished earthly relationship. Ed showed this by the way he kept an immaculate lawn, telling her he loved her multiple times a day, attending marriage retreats, and kissing her any chance he could get. Ed and Rose were a perfect match and each would describe the other as their “better half”. His consistent and stable spirit brought peace to her life and gave her solid footing as they built their life together. He was always slow to anger and quick to love.

Ed is survived by his best friend, Rose Plympton of Meridian, ID, his children Tricia (Jason) Murphy, Crystal (Josh) Gunderson, his son in love Thomas (Sarah) Berry, his grandchildren Megan Berry, Madison Berry and Cooper Gunderson, his brother Francis (Carolyn) Plympton, Bloomfield, NY, numerous nephews and nieces and a community that will deeply miss his compassionate and giving spirit. He was preceded in death by his son Brian Plympton, his siblings Dottie Pesco, John Plympton and Marie Feldman, and his parents Francis Sr. and Eva Plympton.

In lieu of flowers, we suggest donating to the Boise Rescue Mission, https://boiserm.org/donate/ or Light Africa Ministries, https://www.paypal.com/donate/?hosted_button_id=ETPLS855S6F9Q.

A memorial service will be held at 2:00 pm, Monday, July 7, 2025, at the Eagle Nazarene Church, 1001 W. State St. in Eagle.

A committal service will be held at 10:00 am, Thursday, July 31, 2025, at the Idaho State Veterans Cemetery, 10100 N. Horseshoe Bend Rd. in Boise.

Arrangements are under the direction of Bowman Funeral Parlor of Garden City.