LIMERICK-Rosemary (Howard) Plourd (83) passed away peacefully, surrounded by family and loved ones, at her Lake Arrowhead home Sunday April 19, 2026 after a lengthy illness. During her hospice care, she was lovingly cared for by her sisters Rebecca Nelson and Roberta Brewer. Rosemary was born March 17, 1943 to Carl and Marion Howard. Her mother and father divorced when she was still quite young and she was raised by her mother Marion McGinley and her forever Dad, step father Vinal McGinly in Orono and Orrington. She attended Orono and Brewer High Schools.
Rosemary enjoyed traveling and she and her husband, Gene Plourd, travelled extensively in the US and Hawaii visiting family and friends. Rosemary and Gene lived in Virginia for many years where she worked as a Doorkeeper for the US Senate Sargent at Arms. There she met and became friendly with many leading politicians of the 1980s and 1990s. Rosemary and Gene returned to their beloved State of Maine in 2000 and resumed travelling visiting Ireland, Mexico and numerous Caribbean islands. Rosemary also enjoyed cooking and gathering family and friends, the larger the gathering the better.
Rosemary was pre-deceased by her first husband Lawrence Wade and their infant son Dannie Wade, her loving husband Eugene (Gene) Plourd and his two sons Michael and Greg Plourd, her granddaughter Emily (Wade) Roberts, her mother Marion McGinley, her forever Dad Vinal McGinley and her biological father Carl Howard.
She is survived by her partner Dan Adams, brothers Stephen and Carl (Ricky) Howard, brother Claude (Mac) McGinley and his wife Audrey, and sisters Rebecca (McGinley) Nelson and her partner Don Dickel, Roberta (McGinley) Brewer and her husband Don Brewer and Kimberly (McGinley) Vincent and her husband Clifford Yeager, daughters Robin Wade, Cindie Wade and her wife Kathy Riley, her step-children Christopher Plourd, Jamie Plourd and his wife Jill, Jacky (Plourd) Johnson and her husband Frank, Carol (Plourd) Flink and her husband Jonathan, Steven Plourd and his wife Bette and Donna (Plourd) Schwarz and her husband Steve, grand-daughters Natalie (Roberts) Kelliher and her husband Bartley Kelliher and Lindsay (Roberts) Mitchell and her husband Ryan Mitchell, and great granddaughters Winifred and Margaret Kelliher and Cordelia and Beatrice Mitchell and several step-grand and great grandchildren.
A memorial service will be scheduled at a later date. Memorial contributions in Rosemary's honor may be made to St. Judes. Messages of condolences or memories may be shared through www.mainefuneral.com .
Arrangements have been entrusted to Chad E. Poitras Cremation and Funeral Service, East Waterboro, www.mainefuneral.com