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Johnny Plath, rest in peace friend.
Johnny Plath, 68, a proud member of the Board of Directors of the New Mexico Route 66 Association, passed away May 8, 2020 at approximately 3:30 p.m. Mountain Time, due to complications caused by the Covid-19 Virus. In his last act of self-sacrificing love, he was taking care of his aged father, who had been unknowingly infected with Covid-19 at a rehabilitation center from which he had been released. His father, John Lawrence Plath, also succumbed to the virus a month to the day earlier on April 8, 2020.
Johnny was an artist, a craftsman, a historian, and a gentleman, who spent his life creating classic neon signage on Route 66 in Albuquerque. Johnny and his brother Larry learned the art and crafting of commercial neon signs from their father, who was one of the pioneers of neon signage in Albuquerque, particularly along historic Route 66. Johnny and Larry continued on the tradition of crafting classic neon signage as owners of Southwest Outdoor Electric.
Johnny's partnership with the New Mexico Route 66 Association began in 2003, when he responded to a request for bids to support the Association's Route 66 Neon Sign Preservation Project. Johnny bid on two of the most difficult restorations, the massive Sun 'n Sand motel sign in Santa Rosa and a mechanical neon marvel, the rotosphere, in Moriarty. Johnny knew full well that these projects would not be profitable, but Johnny was motivated by the opportunity to bring these classic neon icons back to life.
We are fortunate to have captured Johnny's passion for neon signage in the Emmy Award winning PBS documentary film, "Route 66: The Neon Road." Johnny was one of the featured highlights of the film.
Johnny's humor was showcased as he talked on film about driving down the road with the wild looking rotosphere on a trailer behind his truck and commenting that the unit looked like a naval mine and his concern that he might be stopped by the Department of Transportation. Later in the documentary, Johnny is shown pondering the inside of the rotosphere and musing that the mechanical gears that provided the rotosphere’s multi-axis rotation looked to him to be a Ford Model A rear end. Johnny was clearly fascinated with the rotosphere and was determined to overhaul it and let it once again mesmerize travelers on Route 66. Johnny and his brother are also shown delicately reinstalling the restored massive Sun 'n Sand sign with their towering crane truck.
Johnny never stopped caring about Route 66 and its iconic signs. In 2019, he led the team that restored the historic De Anza Motor Lodge neon sign in Albuquerque. And just weeks before his passing, an energized and vibrant Johnny joined a team of preservationists onsite to develop a plan for preserving the endangered Mountain Lodge neon sign in Carnuel. Johnny, applying his expertise in sign construction and design, put forth a plan, generously donating thousands of dollars of his professional time.
We are all so fortunate to have Johnny's vibrant character captured on the film to inspire us in the future to carry on his dedication to Route 66 and classic neon signage. The film shows us who he was, undaunted by challenges that others would turn away from, and motivated to do his best driven by a true affection for classic neon signage and the history of Route 66. The Association recognized his contribution to the neon project with an honorary plaque that he proudly displayed in his office. A photograph of Johnny and the rotosphere graced the cover of a "Best Practices" publication issued by the National Scenic Byways organization and distributed nationwide that recognized the neon project and Johnny's contribution.
On January 3, 2020, Johnny was interviewed by KQRE-TV at the relighting of the DeAnza Motor Lodge neon sign. Johnny reminisced: "All the neon that was on the street, it rivaled Las Vegas. For the brightness, the intensity, the motion, the animation was just a wonderful sight to behold.”
The New Mexico Route 66 Association and the family of Route 66 enthusiasts worldwide join together to say thank you, Johnny, for all that you and your family have contributed to creating and preserving some of New Mexico's most treasured Route 66 icons.
Johnny was an artist, a craftsman, a historian, and a gentleman, who spent his life creating classic neon signage on Route 66 in Albuquerque. Johnny and his brother Larry learned the art and crafting of commercial neon signs from their father, who was one of the pioneers of neon signage in Albuquerque, particularly along historic Route 66. Johnny and Larry continued on the tradition of crafting classic neon signage as owners of Southwest Outdoor Electric.
Johnny's partnership with the New Mexico Route 66 Association began in 2003, when he responded to a request for bids to support the Association's Route 66 Neon Sign Preservation Project. Johnny bid on two of the most difficult restorations, the massive Sun 'n Sand motel sign in Santa Rosa and a mechanical neon marvel, the rotosphere, in Moriarty. Johnny knew full well that these projects would not be profitable, but Johnny was motivated by the opportunity to bring these classic neon icons back to life.
We are fortunate to have captured Johnny's passion for neon signage in the Emmy Award winning PBS documentary film, "Route 66: The Neon Road." Johnny was one of the featured highlights of the film.
Johnny's humor was showcased as he talked on film about driving down the road with the wild looking rotosphere on a trailer behind his truck and commenting that the unit looked like a naval mine and his concern that he might be stopped by the Department of Transportation. Later in the documentary, Johnny is shown pondering the inside of the rotosphere and musing that the mechanical gears that provided the rotosphere’s multi-axis rotation looked to him to be a Ford Model A rear end. Johnny was clearly fascinated with the rotosphere and was determined to overhaul it and let it once again mesmerize travelers on Route 66. Johnny and his brother are also shown delicately reinstalling the restored massive Sun 'n Sand sign with their towering crane truck.
Johnny never stopped caring about Route 66 and its iconic signs. In 2019, he led the team that restored the historic De Anza Motor Lodge neon sign in Albuquerque. And just weeks before his passing, an energized and vibrant Johnny joined a team of preservationists onsite to develop a plan for preserving the endangered Mountain Lodge neon sign in Carnuel. Johnny, applying his expertise in sign construction and design, put forth a plan, generously donating thousands of dollars of his professional time.
We are all so fortunate to have Johnny's vibrant character captured on the film to inspire us in the future to carry on his dedication to Route 66 and classic neon signage. The film shows us who he was, undaunted by challenges that others would turn away from, and motivated to do his best driven by a true affection for classic neon signage and the history of Route 66. The Association recognized his contribution to the neon project with an honorary plaque that he proudly displayed in his office. A photograph of Johnny and the rotosphere graced the cover of a "Best Practices" publication issued by the National Scenic Byways organization and distributed nationwide that recognized the neon project and Johnny's contribution.
On January 3, 2020, Johnny was interviewed by KQRE-TV at the relighting of the DeAnza Motor Lodge neon sign. Johnny reminisced: "All the neon that was on the street, it rivaled Las Vegas. For the brightness, the intensity, the motion, the animation was just a wonderful sight to behold.”
The New Mexico Route 66 Association and the family of Route 66 enthusiasts worldwide join together to say thank you, Johnny, for all that you and your family have contributed to creating and preserving some of New Mexico's most treasured Route 66 icons.
