Laurel Planz, 55

Laurel Planz made her living as a bookkeeper but loved nothing more than using her time away from work to explore the beaches and woods on the East End with her son, Joshua, when he was young. Together they loved hiking, combing the shoreline for beach glass and driftwood, and learning about nature. They also actively participated in 4-H, with which Ms. Planz had a local leadership position.

“She was a devoted mother,” her son said, “and she never stopped being that way her entire life. When I was a kid, we’d find all kinds of cool things at the beach and make sculptures out of them. Fresh Pond, that was definitely our number-one spot. She also did a lot of arts and crafts with me. And we’d go trailblazing sometimes, looking for wildlife.” He said she “was a terrific mother.”

Ms. Planz, 55, died at home in East Hampton on Dec. 2 after a two-week bout of flu. She was cremated. 

She was born on March 11, 1963, in Sylva, N.C., to the late Doris Sommers Planz and Allen Planz, a Pushcart Prize-winning poet. She is survived by her son, who lives in Brooklyn, and a sister, Jody Day Planz of Danville, Pa.

In lieu of a funeral service, Mr. Planz said he plans to commemorate his mother at every local beach that held a special place in their hearts. Those who would like to participate have been asked to send an email to [email protected].