Howard Plaggemars ’60

Howard Plaggemars ’60, 79, of Holland, died Friday, Feb. 17. Born in Holland, he had many years of experience pertaining to fine art and oriental carpets.

He served in the Army and was a graduate of Culver Military Academy and Hope College, with post graduate studies at the University of Michigan, Indiana University, as well as the Universities of Vienna and Marburg. A former owner of his own art gallery in Holland (International Art Collections), he also served on the Holland Area Art Council Board of Directors and was appointed to the Historical and Cultural Commission of the city. He was an international business consultant, lecturer, and author, and had been an official government appraiser. He had been a fine art and oriental carpet dealer in Europe, and had served as a visiting professor at both the University of Constance, Germany and in the United States at Indiana University.

Howard had served as Director, Executive Vice President, Treasurer, as well as Controller of Holland Furnace Company. Using his financial and business acumen, he was pivotal in the design, implementation, obtaining seed monies for, and the continuing success of the Macatawa Resource Center.

Preceded in death by his sister, Cathy, in 2006; Howard is survived and will be missed by his son, Hansjoerg and Kathrin Plaggemars; and his daughter, Elke Rodriguez; and his four grandchildren, Killian and Coco Plaggemars, Elina and Yana Rodriguez, all in Germany; special friends, Randy and Valerie Koetje of Holland, and Rosalind Harden of Ann Arbor.