Charles R. “Dick” Plumb, who headed public relations for Rockwell Worldwide’s automotive unit for greater than twenty years, died peacefully at his residence in South Carolina on Could 8. He was 97.

Early in his profession, Plumb labored as a reporter and editor for a number of small day by day and weekly newspapers in Michigan, together with The Michigan Day by day, Huron County Tribune and South Macomb Information. He then joined the Detroit Free Press, the place he held numerous editorial roles, together with copy editor and make-up editor.

In 1963, Plumb joined Automotive Information as a employees reporter and editor. He later served as director of selling for the publication.

Plumb transitioned to company communications in 1969 when he was employed by Rockwell Worldwide and located his true skilled calling. He finally turned director of communications for Rockwell’s gentle car elements enterprise (subsequently bought by Meritor, which now could be being acquired by Cummins).

Plumb was the consummate, old style PR man recognized for his memorable press journeys — together with annual Indy 500 outings — and constructing long-lasting relationships with journalists, a lot of whom turned lifelong pals.

“I first met Dick when he was a staffer at Automotive Information and I used to be enterprise editor of the Free Press someday in the course of the Sixties. Not lengthy after Dick made the leap to PR with Rockwell, which is the place I bought to know him nicely.” mentioned longtime Detroit automotive journalist Dave Smith. “I at all times thought he was among the many greatest among the many scores of automotive PR people I labored with: sensible, enthusiastic, extraordinarily educated and a gentleman who by no means strayed too removed from his journalism roots.”

Plumb was born in Yates Heart, Kan., in 1924. He met his future spouse Juanita in highschool, the place they performed the romantic leads in a faculty play and labored on the varsity newspaper collectively. They celebrated their 76th anniversary final 12 months.

After beginning school on the College of Kansas, Plumb enlisted within the U.S. Navy as a part of the V-12 Faculty Coaching program throughout World Warfare II. After the battle, he earned a bachelor’s diploma in journalism and an MBA from the College of Michigan.

Along with Juanita, Plumb is survived by kids Chris (Torres), Rick, Kim (Cahill) and Steve; sons-in-law Mark Torres and Bob Cahill; and grandchildren Laura, Evan, Danielle and Addison.