GRANBY

Worth O. Plath, better known as Budge, passed away at home on Tuesday, May 30th, 2017. Budge was a beloved husband, father, and friend, and he touched the lives of many during his 80 years. Budge lived all over the country while growing up in a military family. He loved moving around and seeing the different sights of America, and he made friends easily wherever he went. He even lived in Alaska when he was younger, heading out into the wilderness for days on end with his best friend. Apparently, they used to catch so many wild salmon that his mother eventually had to beg him to stop bringing them home! Although he lived in many states, his heart always belonged to his home state of Texas. This was evident in his love of wide open spaces, his commitment to the Dallas Cowboys, and his Texas drawl - although he always insisted that it was everyone else who had an accent.  Budge’s work ethic was unflappable. He spent many years as Vice President of manufacturing for Autron Inc, a paper conversion company based out of Holyoke. Later in life, he applied his passion for mechanical tinkering to a job at Rocky’s Ace Hardware, where he worked until his passing. This mechanical aptitude was something akin to magic: his 1954 push lawnmower is still running, as is the wood splitter he acquired over thirty years ago, maintained with a combination of luck, persistence, and unfailing ingenuity. Despite this commitment to never throwing out a perfectly good machine, he was also a lover of new gadgets and technology. From BetaMax to VCRs and camcorders, he later progressed to computers, tablets, and smartphones, always excited about the newest developments. Budge was a man of many interests and talents. His skill as a sportsman was well-known: at the local turkey shoots, he inevitably brought home more steaks and lobsters than he could handle. He built and flew model airplanes as well, perfect scale replicas that looked and performed like their larger counterparts, and he passed these skills and many others onto his son Chris. A plant lover, he maintained an extensive vegetable garden each year. He somehow transcended drought and hungry critters alike, lovingly coaxing tomatoes, beans, squash, zucchini, peppers, and more in a near-endless supply every summer. He had a green thumb to rival all others. Beyond all his numerous skills and passions, Budge loved people. Whether reconnecting with old friends or making new ones, he was always ready with a smile and a kind word. The far-reaching impact of his kindness is clear in the good memories shared by family and friends. From Texas to Massachusetts and everywhere in between, Budge Plath has touched many lives. He will be sorely missed. Calling hours will be held on Friday, June 2, 2017 from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. in the Barry J. Farrell Funeral Home, 2049 Northampton Street, Holyoke. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made in memory of Budge to the Disabled American Veterans at either DAV.org or through the following address or phone number:  DAV – Disabled American Veterans, P.O. Box 14301, Cincinnati, OH  45250-0301 or 1- 877-647-VETS (8387).