- Date Of Birth: July 11, 1929
- Date Of Death: October 30, 2021
- State: Colorado
Palmer was united in marriage to Edna May (Jackie) Davies on March 26, 1947, in Clayton, New Mexico.
Palmer was a devoted and loving father and grandfather.
Palmer lived in Virginia until his sophomore year in high school, moving to Colorado in 1944. He graduated from Canon City High School in 1947.
Palmer worked for Jones Wholesale and Canon Wholesale until 1950 when he entered the Army during the Korean War. After the war, he worked at the Pueblo Army Depot as a Security Guard. In 1952 he took a full-time job with the Colorado National Guard. He spent 42 years in the National Guard, retiring in 1989 as a Chief Warrant Officer 4 (CW4) Supply Officer. He also was a volunteer fireman with the Canon City Fire Department, retiring after 25 years.
One of Palmer’s favorite sports was rifle marksmanship. He started shooting with the ROTC and was active in shooting for 45 years.
He was the officer in charge (OIC) for the Sixth Army Rifle Team, winning the All-Army Championship. He also was Assistant OIC for the All-Guard Rifle Team. He won many medals and trophies during his shooting. One he was most proud of was the Distinguished Rifle Medal that he earned in 1966. This is the highest shooting medal that the Army awards.
Among other things, Palmer loved hunting and fishing. He always enjoyed his fall hunting trips for elk and deer. He and Jackie spent 20 years wintering in Mexico where he fished for his favorite, yellowtail tuna. He also did a lot of fishing in Colorado’s lakes and rivers. He enjoyed trips to Canada with his son-in-law and grandsons over the years. In later years as Palmer and Jackie got older, they spent their winters in Arizona.
Palmer met De in 2015 and asked her to dinner in May of 2016. Together they traveled to Niagara Falls, New York; Kalispell, Montana; Portland, Maine; and spent the winters of the last 4 years in Arizona together.
Palmer is survived by his children, Jeanne (Paul – deceased) Clark, Betty Sue (Dean) Cornella, and Bill (Laura) Hartless; grandchildren, Misty (Joe) DeSalvo, Wendy (Drew) Cronk, Marina (Chuck) Hildebrand, Ryan (Elizabeth) Cornella, Melissa (Mike) Bufmack, Krista (Matt) Valdez, Chris (Melissa) Hartless, Jeff (Lori) Hartless; great-grandchildren, Haily (Johnnie) Krien, Talon DeSalvo, Ashtyn (Camden) Buechler, Josh Cronk, Trace Hildebrand, Annika Hildebrand, Jacob Cornella, Tanner Cornella, Trevor Bufmack, Allison Bufmack, Aiden Hartless, Taytum Hartless, and Charley Valdez; numerous nieces and nephews; also his later in life companion, Deanne (De) Terrell who took great care of him and was with him to the end. He was preceded in death by his wife, Jackie, on October 28, 2014, and was also welcomed in heaven by his parents, a brother, four sisters, and a son-in-law. He will be greatly missed by his children and grandchildren.
