- Date Of Birth: October 20, 1939
- Date Of Death: February 8, 2022
- State: Idaho
Marguerite Pamela Palmer, passed away Tuesday, February 8, 2022, at her home.
Pam was born at her grandmother’s house October 20, 1939, in Superior, Arizona to Margaret and Joe Vasquez. From the beginning her family called her Pamy. She joined an older brother Joseph Gregory.
The young family lived in San Pedro, CA to work in the shipyards during World War II and after the war returned to Arizona. When Pamy was 9, twin brothers Donald Jacob and Ronald Eugene were born. The family settled in Florence where her mom and dad owned a small grocery store. Her young years went by quickly – happy and busy with school, friends and helping her parents. Pamy loved reading stories to her younger brothers.
In 1957 Pam graduated from Florence Union High School and enrolled at Arizona State College in Tempe (now ASU) to study Kindergarten/Primary Education. Her first week of school, the Newman club had a freshman mixer. Pam and her friends decided to go and as fate would have it a freshman from Arlington Heights, Illinois also attended- Jack Palmer-they met, they danced, and they dated the rest of the school year. By the end of second semester, they were considering marriage the following spring. But again fate stepped in and that summer Jack was drafted into the United States Army-so marriage was put on hold. Pam returned to ASU and Jack was stationed in Germany.
In 1962 first child Kimberly Ann was born and in 1963 Pam received her diploma in Primary Education. She began her teaching career in Florence and taught kindergarten or first grade for the next 12 years. During that time Jack and Jennifer were born. In 1977 once again fate stepped in and the family decided to pursue Jack’s dream of working in agriculture and moved to Nampa, Idaho. Jack found work in custom farming and Pam went to work with the Nampa School District. She taught as a migrant resource teacher and then taught second grade at Lakeview School and later at Greenhurst school.
She was preceded in death by her mother and father, her older brother Joe and granddaughter Shelby Stewart.
She is survived by her husband of 61 years, Jack, daughter Kim (Frank) Freeman, son Jack (Heidi) and daughter Jennifer Stewart; Grandchildren Megan Freeman, Katie (Justin) Gwinn, Gabby Palmer, Andy Palmer, Hailey Stewart and Mallory Stewart; Brothers Don Vasquez, Ron Vasquez, sister in law Florence Sheridan and nieces and nephews, cousins and many friends from throughout her life that she enjoyed keeping in touch with or enjoyed getting together with. All were in a special place of her heart.
