Cecile Plattner

Cecile Owens Plattner, age 67, of Greenville, NY died peacefully of cancer on November 3, 2024, at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY surrounded by her family. Cecile was born in Wilmington, Delaware on August 24, 1957, to Caroline Mulford Owens and James R. Owens, Jr. She moved with her family to Manhattan where she started school and to Westport, Connecticut at age seven. Cecile made lifelong friends in Westport and swam and sailed at Compo Beach. She graduated from Kent School in 1975. Cecile majored in English at the University of Vermont, where she met her husband, Frank Plattner. After graduating from UVM in 1980, the couple moved to Boston where Cecile worked for the Patriots’ Trail Girl Scout Council. Frank and Cecile married in 1985 and moved to Greene County, NY, where Frank’s family had spent their summers and where the newlyweds had worked during college summer breaks. Their first child, Anna, was born in 1990 and their twins, Matthew and Marina, were adopted in 1999 at age 2 from an orphanage in Russia. Their lives were busy with their family’s many activities, including school, sports, scouting, 4-H, FFA, plays, music lessons, the Greene County Youth Fair, and yearly trips to Florida, New Jersey, NYC, and Cape Cod. The family enjoyed camping along the Catskill Creek in Cairo and hosting annual 4th of July parties. Cecile was devoted to her family, friends, and community. She was a skilled organizer with a powerful sense of duty, a strong work ethic, and a determined yet humble manner. She was a founding member of the Greenville Citizens Park Committee, which helped to fund raise, acquire, and plan for the George V. Vanderbilt Town Park in the early 1990’s. She was a lifetime member of the Girls Scouts of the USA and was honored for her more than twenty-five years of service at different levels of the organization. She led two Girl Scout troops with distinction, and many of her scouts completed Gold Award projects. Cecile also coordinated neighborhood Girl Scout programs, including over ten years of organizing complex camp outs. Cecile was a steadfast member of Christ Episcopal Church in Greenville. She taught Sunday School for many years, directed many Christmas pageants, and prepared candidates for Confirmation. She is the godmother of several family members. In 2016, Cecile became a member of the Greenville Rotary Club. She and her family hosted three Rotary exchange students from Brazil and Kyrgyzstan, and she later became the coordinator of these international exchanges. She served as the President of the club from 2018 to 2022, leading the club through the challenging pandemic. Among the projects she championed as President was the purchase and distribution of Shelter Boxes to provide emergency shelter to people displaced due to disaster or conflict. She was recognized as a Paul Harris Fellow because of her contributions to Rotary. After her presidency, she was involved with Rotary as an Assistant District Governor for Region 1, District 7210, for which she received an Outstanding Leadership Award. In 2021, Cecile was awarded a commendation from the New York State Senate for her public service. In times of need, Cecile would unfailingly respond in meaningful ways, by contributing her time and talents, financial resources, and thoughtful guidance. Many of her friends can attest to her kind and generous assistance; she was the kind of person who you could call in a crisis. Those who knew her will also remember that she was often late, but always showed up. Cecile was the center of a large family and circle of friends. She was a fantastic hostess and loved to plan excellent dinners, parties, and events. She was a skilled and inventive cook. One Thanksgiving, she organized the family celebration using all local ingredients and won a competition for her creativity. She loved to travel. She did thorough research, read novels set in her destinations, and found unusual and interesting places to visit. In the year before she became ill, Frank and Cecile traveled to five continents, going on adventures that included swimming in the Amazon River, wading in the Indian Ocean, and camping in the Serengeti. She enjoyed birdwatching, swimming, reading, camping, scrap booking, and playing Scrabble, puzzles and games. Cecile is survived by her mother, Caroline Owens, her husband of 38 years, Frank Plattner, daughters Anna Plattner (Justin Wexler) and Marina Plattner, son Matthew Plattner, and two grandchildren, Corinna and Frank Wexler. She is also survived by her sister Elizabeth Owens Wakefield (Bill), brother Jonathan Owens (Jill), sister-in-law Christina Evola, as well as nieces and nephews Julia Evola, Madeleine and Billy Wakefield, and Kirsten and James Owens. She was predeceased by her father, James R. Owen’s and brother, James B. Owens. A memorial gathering is scheduled for Saturday December 14, 2024 from 1-4 pm at the Westerlo Baptist Church, 618 N.Y.-143, Westerlo, NY, 12193; all are welcome to attend. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that any contributions in memory of Cecile be made to Christ Episcopal Church in Greenville, P.O. Box 278, Greenville, NY 12083. Written condolences or tributes may be sent to the family through the Richards Funeral Home website at: https://www.richardsfuneralhomeinc.net

Cecile Plattner

August 24, 1957 - November 3, 2024