Moe Plath, remembered as a keen businessman, humanitarian

by Peter Jakey, Managing Editor

Emil ?Moe? Plath Jr., the longtime owner of Plath?s Smoked Meats, who helped mold the family business into the popular worldwide entity it is known as today, passed away at his winter home in Florida, April 29. He was 82. He is being remembered for giving back to the community he was born and raised in, and never stopped promoting. Plath was a member of the Rogers Lions Club and served on the board of directors most of the 62 years that he was involved in the civic organization. He also was a member of the Presque Isle County Board of Commissioners for more than 20 years (1971 to 90, 1993 to 98).

MOST OF ALL, Plath was a local businessman, who bridged a generation. Moe was the only son of Emil Sr. and Clara Plath. He got out of the Navy in 1948 and purchased the store from the elder Plath in 1950. Moe was thinking about using the money earned in the service to go to college, but being the only son, business needs took a priority.

It wasn?t long after, Moe started to aggressively promote the market?s smoked loin. He enlisted the aid of the famous Lou Maxon advertising agency, and soon people all over the country were ordering smoked loin and other products from the little market in Rogers City. In 1955, the elder Plath retired. The business expanded, with an additional smokehouse and a larger processing area added. Moe purchased a delivery truck in 1958, about the same time the Mackinac Bridge was built. That enabled him to serve large numbers of customers from Bay City, Sault Ste. Marie and Petoskey. The business also expanded its mail delivery service to reach out to more customers. ?It was his insight to go for the restaurants to begin with,? said son Tim Plath. ?That?s where a lot of our business is, and also for our mail orders for Christmas time, and we also have a great local clientel.?

?Some businesses want to grow real quick,? said son John Plath. ?We did a little bit at a time. We put an addition on in ?83, ?93, and ?99. We didn?t do it all at once, we did it a little bit at a time and that was kind of his insight.? Last November, Plath?s opened a retail outlet in Petoskey. TIM SAID his father pushed the product, but was always promoting Rogers City as well. On the back of the delivery trucks, it stated, ?follow us to Rogers City.? He also gave back to the community with his involvement with the Lions and many other untold acts of kindness. He would donate groceries to the needy and had worked in a soup kitchen in Orlando.

?Moe was the first to contribute, donate or support any project that was good for Rogers City,? said fellow Lion Mike Eustice. ?Although we are saddened by his departure, we rejoice with the joy and memories that Moe leaves behind.? He was at almost every Lions meeting, without fail, said John. ?He was an awful good man to serve with on the board,? said former county board chairman Chuck Rhode, who served with Moe for 14 years. ?We discussed things, and may never had agreed on all the issues, but when the meeting was over, the issues were over and we were friends,? said Rhode. ?He was always for progress and wanting to create jobs. He was very likeable, very friendly and a very honest person.? He also was instrumental in establishing the Rogers City Country Club and the first harbor project in the 1950s.

MOE AND his wife Helen celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary, Dec. 31, 2009. John said it was the first time the couple hadn?t been home for Christmas and the couple?s anniversary. Son James Plath sent Moe a small pine tree and Christmas lights. ?We have some pictures o

f Dad putting lights on the Christmas tree,? said John. ?That made his day, he was happy.? ?There were no tell tale signs of anything of anything coming until the day before, according to my mother,? John continued. ?He was playing gin rummy with the guys down in the clubhouse in Florida. He was getting a little short of breath and his buddies said, ?you should get that checked out Moe.? He did go home and mention it to mom and she talked him into going into the doctor the next morning.? They were getting up to go to the doctor the next morning when Helen found him sitting on the floor. ?He went very peaceful.?

Tim added, ?He was never sick, and he was never one to go into the doctor for anything.? PUBLIC VIEWING is tomorrow from 9 a.m. through the time of the service at 11 a.m. at the Beck Funeral Home with a luncheon to follow at the Knights of Columbus. John couldn?t help but chuckle when asked what kind of food would be served. ?There will be lots of Polish and German items,? he said with a wide grin. ?Although we are saddened by his departure we rejoice with the joy and memories that Moe leaves behind,? said Eustice.