Wilma Marie Plunkett personal papers, approximately 1902-2008

Series — Multiple Containers

Identifier: MSS P 653 Series 1

Staff Only

Scope and Contents

Contains personal items and papers of Wilma Marie Plunkett, such as work on her thesis, family history work, photographs, negatives, books, items and papers from her mission, correspondence, her writings, certificates and awards, personal records, photographs related to the San Francisco Earthquake in 1906, and other materials. Dated approximately 1902 to 2008.

Dates

Creation: approximately 1902-2008

Creator

Plunkett, Wilma Marie, 1921-2008 (creator, Person)

Conditions Governing Access

Open for public research. Materials kept in cold storage; access requires 24 hours advance notice.

Conditions Governing Use

It is the responsibility of the researcher to obtain any necessary copyright clearances. Permission to publish material from Wilma Marie Plunkett papers must be obtained from the Supervisor of Reference Services and/or the L. Tom Perry Special Collections Coordinating Committee.

Biographical History

From the Collection:

Wilma Marie Plunkett (1921-2008) was an archivist in Utah.

Wilma Marie Plunkett was born on January 14, 1921 in Otsego, Michigan to Cecil Harriston Plunkett and Ruby Hostetter. She grew up in Otsego, and attended Michigan State University. With the approach of World War II she became engaged, but he died during the war. She then worked in Detroit, and signed up for Woman's Army Air Corp (WAC's) when they were established. She served in Michigan and Washington, D.C.. Then in the 1950s she moved to Phoenix, Arizona and then to California. There she befriended Gladys and August Barstow, who introduced her to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. During her time in California she worked for Lear Siegler Corporation. She also served as Secretary of the California Wing of the State Air Force Association for two years, and later as the State Historian for the Association.

In the 1970s Plunkett decided to serve a mission for the Church, and was called to the Boston, Massachusetts Mission. After completing her missionary service she moved to Provo, Utah to attend Brigham Young University. While there she earned her bachelor's degree in Humanities, and a master's degree in American Studies. She also worked in the photo archives of the Harold B. Lee Library, where she remained until her retirement in the mid-1990s.

On June 25, 1992 she married August "Bart" Barstow in the Provo Temple (he died in 1999). Plunkett Barstow died on December 18, 2008 in Provo, Utah.

Biographical History

From the Collection:

The Plunkett family were a family in the Midwestern United States (1920-2008).

The Plunkett family was made up of spouses Cecil Harrrison Plunkett (1901-1968) and Ruby Hostetter (1901-1961) and their two children; Ray (1914) and Wilma Marie (1921-2008). Cecil and Ruby were married on March 10, 1920 in Otsego, Michigan, where the family lived.