Plonia V. Nixon

Plonia Nixon died on Tuesday afternoon, March 31, 2020 at the hospital in Danbury, CT after suffering a heart attack. Respected artist, musician, professor, bee keeper, needlewoman, certified workout instructor, she wasted not a drop of the deep wine that was her life.

She was born Plonia Van Der Hoeven on Jan. 7, 1930 in Kampen at the Zuiderzee in the Netherlands and came of age during the Nazi occupation, an experience that haunted her life.

After the war, she received her diploma at the Gymnasium Beta in Apeldoorn, studied biology and art history at the University of Amsterdam, graduated from the Fashion School in Amsterdam, taught at the same school, and later graduated from the Academy for Art Teachers with an MOA and MOB, summa cum laude in art appreciation. She then taught at the Academy in Tilburg for art teachers for six years, and was a member of the government community for the state exams of art and art history teachers in the Hague for another six years. She directed the art department of the institution for the production of slides for educational purposes for seven years and wrote a monthly column about comparative analysis in art for a Dutch art journal.

Plonia found her beloved soulmate in Dick Nixon when she came to visit her sister, Like, who was renting a cabin on Dick’s property, Forest Lake, in New Fairfield, CT. A few days later, Dick proposed marriage and Plonia never returned to Holland. In 1971, they married and moved to Dick’s apartment in New York City. Together they shared a married life that would rival the best love stories. In New York, she had two one-woman shows at the Summit Gallery on 57th Street and was an exhibiting member of the United Art Group, a group of selected foreign artists. She also participated in an all-women show "The Contemporary Spirit" and had a guest spot on WQXR Radio in connection with this exhibit. Plonia’s artwork has been exhibited in collections throughout Holland, Germany, England, France, Monaco, and the United States.

In 1974, the couple moved full-time to Forest Lake where Plonia continued to work and teach in her studio. She joined the Western CT State University Department of Art as an adjunct professor in 1981, only retiring in 2019.

Dick’s death from cancer in 1991 was the greatest loss of her life, along with the death of her sister that same year. Plonia spent the remainder of her time on earth maintaining Dick’s legacy at Forest Lake, living in the home they created for the two of them and managing the fourteen vacation cabins that Dick built. A lover of animals and nature, Plonia always enjoyed canine companionship. Chrissy, a German shepherd and Roger, a long haired dachshund gave her much joy and kept a loyal guard.

Plonia was a generous donor to her community, including contributions to the Danbury Hospital, the Regional Hospice of New Fairfield and the WCSU Art Scholarship Program.

She is survived by a lifetime of prolific artistic creations and generations of art students. Offering endless encouragement, Plonia posted a sign in her studio that reads, “You Never Fail Until You Stop Trying”. She will be greatly missed by all those who loved her.

Due to the Coronavirus, a memorial gathering in honor of her life will be held at a later date when it is safe to do so. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Regional Hospice of New Fairfield.

To sign a guest book in remembrance of Plonia, please visit www.thegreenfuneralhome.com