January 10, 1940 – July 8, 2021
Martin (Marty) Haskell Plone passed away suddenly in Livermore California on July 8, 2021, at the age of 81. He was born on January 10, 1940 in Worcester, Massachusetts. His parents were Louis and Irene Plone. Marty is survived by his sister Marilyn Liddicoat; her children Britt (Joseph) Haselton; Dr. Rebecca (Steve) Yamarik; Brian (Zenaida) Liddicoat; and her grandchildren Celeste and Alecia Haselton; Anna and Samuel Yamarik; and Richard and Siena Liddicoat.
Marty received his bachelor’s degree in biology in 1963 and went on to the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1967, both at Washington State University in Pullman, Washington. Marty was always grateful for the education he received at Washington State University and has recently arraigned a bequest to the college to establish the Dr. Martin H. Plone Endowment.
After he graduated from the College of Veterinary Medicine in 1967, he spent two years in the United States Air Force stationed at Itazuke, Japan working in the area of public health but also taking care of pets and sentry dogs on the base. Upon his return to the United States, Dr. Plone went to California, practicing first in Berkeley and then in Livermore. Five years after graduation he set up his own American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) certified practice in a storefront in downtown Livermore. He then bought a lot and built his own building, The Del Valle Pet Hospital, a thriving small animal practice, in 1979, where he stayed until he retired in September of 2000.
His good friend Dr. John Shirly a fellow veterinarian invited Marty to join The Rotary Club in 1971 and he became the president in 1986 and soon after was instrumental in starting The Rotarian Foundation of Livermore. Marty loved dogs and had owned several long-haired Dachshund’s. Frustrated with the lack of a dog park in Livermore, Dr. Plone along with the Del Valle Dog Club, helped establish Livermore’s first dog park which was located at Max Baer Park. In part, due to his advocacy, Livermore now boasts seven dog parks.
Retirement for Dr. Plone did not mean staying at home or not working anymore. After he sold his practice Marty continued his involvement with Rotary and he also became active in legal circles promoting mainly criminal restitution laws, a field in which he is well-known in California as a self-made expert. He worked with the Attorney General’s office developing and reviewing bills about victims’ rights, a subject that had been important to him for many years.
Marty spent many of his retirement years traveling the western United States and Canada, playing golf, visiting friends, enjoying the National Parks, visiting his beloved Washington State University and catching a Cougars game. He was a long-time member of Castlewood Country Club. Dr. Plone rarely missed a Rotary meeting and his quick wit, sense of humor and fellowship will be missed by his many friends in the Rotary Clubs of Livermore.
At his request there will be no services or memorials. Any donations in his name should be directed to the Rotarian Foundation of Livermore, a 501(c)(3) charity at P.O. Box 2181, Livermore, California, 94551.