Allan "Al" Francis Plourde

Las Vegas – Allan Plourde passed away on October 5, 2024.

Allan (Al) Francis Plourde was born on November 10, 1948 in Bristol, CT. He was the son of Adelard and Gertrude Plourde. He graduated from Bristol Eastern HS and Central Connecticut State University and worked in sales at Jewels by Stanlee (Bristol, CT), and made a career switch to become an internal bank auditor at Connecticut Bank and Trust, Bank of New England, Recoll Management, and Harcourt Management/Sheshunoff Consulting. He retired in 2017 and moved with his beautiful wife of 56 years, Judy Plourde to Las Vegas, NV to be closer to his sons and grandchildren.

Allan Plourde is survived by his wife Judy (Coughlin) Plourde, his sons Jason, Matthew (Meghan), Michael (Misuzu), his grandchildren Jack and Katie Plourde, siblings Diane (Edward) Halloran, Laurene LaVoie, and James Plourde. He is preceded in death by his sister, Jeanette (John) Fresina.

Al and Judy were high school sweethearts and married shortly after graduation. Al always regaled his friends with humorous tales of his proposal to Judy as, “You’re WHAT??” They raised a wonderful family and made a strong community of friends in Connecticut. Some of their favorite times spent together were on their many cross country road trips with their beloved dog, Finn, and their most recent trip to Italy with their friends, Hari and Joy. Al and Judy embraced the Las Vegas sports scene and loved cheering on their Golden Knights and Las Vegas Aces together, but they always remained faithful fans of their UCONN Huskies. Their 56 years of marriage were filled with excitement, adventure, and always laughter. Early in Al’s diagnosis, he had his grandson record him playing the guitar and singing Neil Young’s “Harvest Moon” to Judy as an enduring reminder of their love for each other. That was the kind of thoughtful gesture that was a hallmark of their marriage.

Al was a proud father to his three sons. Jason was always one to keep the laughter going with Al’s jokes and Al always admired the civic service nature of his careers as a deaf interpreter and teacher. Matt was always a tech whiz for Al’s many phone issues, and Al was so grateful for his sense of humor, loving dependability, and the gift of his two grandchildren. Michael kept Al fed with a steady stream of delicious pastries and Al respected and admired his dedication and pride in the business partnership he had with his wife, Misuzu. His sons will always remember their dad as a caring, generous father with a gift for gab, a joyful approach to life, and an uncanny ability to fall asleep watching tennis matches on TV.

Al would always brag that he had the two best daughters-in-law in the world. Misuzu and Meghan both loved having Al as a father, and always thought of him as such. Misuzu was the only one who could get Al to try new foods, and Meghan and Al would end up in tears of laughter every time they thought of a joke they had made years prior. He welcomed his daughters into the family and always made them feel loved and appreciated.

Al was an incredible grandfather, going by the name “PP Al,” coined by his grandson, Jack. Any time spent with PP Al was bound to be full of laughs, special memories, and toys that made fart noises. Al and Judy would host the kids every New Year’s Eve, and their tradition of mixing all the beverages in the fridge and then drinking the “toot juice” with PP Al will always be a core memory for them. Jack called PP Al one summer when he was in high school and asked him to help craft an electric guitar from scratch. The successful project continued to bond these two buddies, and the guitar itself contains a special image on the neck plate of a 2 year old Jack sitting in Al’s lap playing the guitar. Katie and PP Al had many special days together, but one of their favorites was the time PP Al took a 14 year old Katie to learn how to drive a bulldozer and steamshovel. That was the kind of fun-loving and innovative grandparent Al always was.

Al and his siblings were extremely close knit, continuing their weekly Zoom chats long after the pandemic had ended. Al appreciated Diane’s work as his patient advocate, Laurene’s many helpful visits to Vegas, and James’s continued support.

In addition to his immediate family, Al also forged strong relationships with his nephews Tom and Adam. Al was always available for advice and took such pride in both of the men's artistic talent.

Al had a tremendous volunteering spirit, donating his time throughout the years as a scout leader for Troop 25 taking the Boy Scouts on their yearly hike up Mt. Washington in New Hampshire. Al also served for nine years on the Bristol Board of Finance, three of those as chair. Additionally, Al was an active member of the board of the United Way of Central Connecticut. He was a mainstay of the Las Vegas pickleball scene in its formative years prior to the late stages of his illness and had a deep love of the sport.

Al put a smile on everyone’s faces everywhere he went and was quick to strike up friendly conversations with strangers. He was well known for his sense of humor, zest for life, and impressive juggling skills. He loved music, and his beautiful guitar playing was the soundtrack to some of his family’s best holiday memories. Most of all, he taught us all that love is not just a feeling but an action. His strength, his intentional interactions, and his joyous spirit will continue to inspire our family.

A celebration of life for Allan Plourde will be held on Saturday, October 19 at Palm Southwest Mortuary (7979 W. Warm Springs Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89113) at 1 PM. An additional memorial celebration will be held in Connecticut at the Bristol Doubletree Inn from 2-6 on November 10. Al supported causes such as St. Jude’s Children’s Hospital and the ASPCA. Contributions to these organizations in Al’s name would be greatly appreciated.

Allan Francis Plourde will be dearly missed by all who knew him; he was an absolute gem of a man.