Lorrie Merdes Plessinger

1948 to October 10, 2022


She gave us love and strength and moved through life with purpose. Cooking.
With every bowl of vegan chili, every slice of wheat toast, every cookie, every scoop of homemade ice cream she showed and shared her love. The kitchen was her creative domain and her family and friends delighted in her creations. But no more.

Lorrie Plessinger died in Alvin, Texas surrounded by her husband John, her children Matt Plessinger and Annie Hartley and sisters Carol Jenkins and Ginny Merdes. She also leaves a brother, Bob Merdes, son-in-law Bill Hartley, daughter-in-law Sahana Plessinger and grandchildren Serri Plessinger, Cooper and Haines Hartley.

Lorrie’s culinary passion started in the kitchen of her parents Stanley and Jo Merdes in Youngstown Ohio. Chopping and stirring beside her mother, their Colorful Dishes often included yellow corn, red tomatoes and herbs from the backyard garden. But it was the fresh berry pies and cookies that brought out her artistic side.

With her brother and sisters, Lorrie attended Immaculate Conception grade school and Ursuline High school in Youngstown. After a year at Youngstown State university she transferred to Dayton University where she met her husband John and walked away with a degree as a dietician, making the connection between food and health.

It was the 1970s, and the US health care system was not viewing the connection between nutrition and health. Lorrie left the hospital system and her career there and dove into a new life with John, an industrial designer. They formed their own business in southern Ohio, Design Evolution 4, with partner Jerry Meyers.

Through the early 1970s Lorrie and John worked hard and played hard. Growing their company, traveling west for ski trips, playing tennis and starting a family at their sprawling home in Springboro, Ohio. Cooking for Lorrie remained a constant joy; making her own baby food for her children and growing veggies in the backyard. Cookie baking was a year round activity. Family and friends had their favorites. Her cooking continue to be creative and healthy and eventually vegan. She viewed food as medicine way before the internet called it cool.

With the children grown Lorrie and John moved west to finally enjoy living close to the mountains. In 2015 they moved to Texas to be close to their daughter, Annie, and her family and of course to cook up a storm of healthy vegan food.

Fifteen years before her death Lorrie was diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, a medical hardship she fought the rest of her life. She’ll be remembered for her strength and love and a passion for cooking. And of course the cookies.