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Christopher Adrian Plankey, Sr., of Pittsfield, Massachusetts, passed away on July 5, 2017, at Massachusetts General Hospital after a long illness at the age of 67. Born in Pittsfield,
Mass., April 2, 1950 to John J. and Rita J. (Pilon) Plankey. The Plankey family lived in Pittsfield
until 1960 when they moved to Queechy Lake in Canaan, NY.
He attended Chatham, NY schools and graduated from Chatham Central High School in
June 1969 where he immediately began working at Pittsfield G.E. He left G.E. to go into the
Coast Guard, Cape Hatteras, N.C. where he was an Electronics Technician. In 1972, he returned to General Electric Transformers Department until 1988 when he transferred to General Electric’s Defense Systems Department.
In 1992, he began working for Faisal Ali at Angelina’s Sub Shops in Pittsfield. He carried out routine repairs, mowing, snow removal, minor appliance and plumbing repairs. In 1998, he began waiting on customers. From May 1998 until 2003, he also worked at Mead Westvaco in Pittsfield.
In January 2000, he and his wife, Donna L. Smith (Middlebrook) Plankey, whom he married in 1978, franchised their first Angelina’s Sub Shop located in Great Barrington, Mass.
They later franchised three more locations in Pittsfield. Chris worked the counter there part-time until 2014. In 2004, he began working as a full-time security guard for General Dynamics.
He retired from there in 2015.
Chris received his first guitar at age 10. He was a self-taught lead and rhythm guitarist and lead vocalist with the band “Chimes” for 28 years. Music was his passion. He was an avid
angler and taught his children to fish at a very early age. He loved sailing and going to the beach. His favorite beach was Salisbury, Mass. where he enjoyed walking along the shore.
Chris was quite the handyman. He could fix anything. Many times, when parts weren’t
available, he’d make them. He loved woodworking. He was a carpenter, electrician, plumber,
wood smith, mechanic, and much more. He was often referred to as “MacGyver” by his family
and friends. His niece, Anne-Marie, said it best “…(He) had music in his soul, a joke on his lips,
and kindness in his eyes.”
Chris leaves his wife of 39 years, Donna L. Smith (Middlebrook) Plankey, a son, Christopher (Kip) A. Plankey II and his wife Nicole, a daughter, Sarah J. Renaud and her fiancé
Robert LaMay, and his adopted daughter, Amber S. Renaud, age 3, a stepson, William (Big Bill)
J. Middlebrook and his fiancée, Ashleigh DiMassimo, and stepson, Richard (Dickie) J. Middlebrook and his wife Cheryl. Grandchildren Tina Peters, Candi Middlebrook, William (Billy Jay) Middlebrok, Jr., Amber Middlebrook, Logan Middlebrook, Amanda Giron, Richard Middlebrook, Jeffrey Renaud II, Bethany Renaud, Christopher Randall, Christopher (Kipper) Plankey III, and Maxwell Plankey. Several great grandchildren, as well as numerous nieces and nephews.
He leaves two brothers, Martin Plankey and his wife Jean of Pittsfield, and Norman Plankey and his wife Patricia of Oxford, Conn.
Chris was pre-deceased by his father, John Joseph Plankey on February 11, 2012, his mother, Rita Jane (Pilon) Plankey on September 12, 1989, brother, John Peter Plankey on December 6, 1998, and sister, Kathleen Mary Lemelin on January 6, 2015.


FUNERAL NOTICE:
Calling hours will be Monday, July 10, from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m., at DERY FUNERAL HOME,
54 Bradford Street, Pittsfield.

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