David Lee Palmer, Sr., 69
David Lee Palmer, Sr., 69, of Grangeville, died Monday, April 17, 2006, at his home due to complications of diabetes, prostate cancer and various other health problems. After a wonderful Easter weekend with his family he died peacefully in his sleep.
He was born June 12, 1936, in Luray, Kansas, to Russell J. Palmer and Loretta Shull Palmer. He was born at Ella Tate's house, delivered by Dr. Drehere, as the family dog, Skippy, waited under the bed.
He attended Luray schools through the ninth grade where he excelled in basketball. Saturday nights he and his childhood friends would attend outside movies on the corner of Main Street in a vacant lot. The free
movies, which were sponsored by local business owners, were usually westerns. He and his mother, stepfather, and brother migrated west in the back of a truck, traveling with his cousin and family, June 12, 1951. They settled in Page and then later moved to Kellogg. He attended his last three years of high school there, graduating with the Kellogg High class of 1954. Between his junior and senior years of high school he was employed by the U.S. Forest Service. He joined the United States Air Force following graduation and was stationed
at Mississippi and McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Wash. He met his future wife in Kellogg at a mutual friend's wedding. He married Estella Arlene Faurot June 28, 1958, at the Church of the Nazarene in
Spokane, Wash. They made their home in Tacoma near McChord AFB. Here, their first child, a son, David Lee Palmer, Jr., was born, April 11, 1959. During his 20 years in the service, he was stationed in Puntzi Mountain,
British Columbia, West Central Canada; Cottonwood Air Force Station (Idaho); Blaine, Wash.; Richards Gabhour AFB in Missouri; and then back to Blaine. A second son, Steven W. Palmer, was born at Grangeville, Idaho, Nov. 26, 1961, while they were stationed in Cottonwood. He volunteered to serve in Vietnam in 1968. He was stationed at Monkey Mountain near Danang for one year. Upon his return home he met for the first
time his 8-1/2 month old daughter Lorie Fae. She had always been afraid of men but her mother said she went right to her father as soon as his plane touched down and he walked into the Sea-Tac Airport terminal in Seattle.
He retired as a Technical Sargeant in 1975 as a radar technician at Blaine AFB. He received the commendation medal twice as well as the Bronze Star while in Vietnam. The family settled in Custer, Wash., three miles from the Canadian border. He then attended appliance repair school at Bellingham Vo-Tech. Upon completion he worked for Parberry's Appliance Repair Store for several years before he went into business for himself, Dave's Appliance Repair. In 1992, he and his wife moved to Grangeville where they resided until his death.
He was a member of the Lynden Church of the Nazarene in Lynden, Wash., until he transferred membership to the Grangeville Church of the Nazarene. He was an avid college sports fan, especially basketball, and was a Kansas Jayhawk fanatic. He also liked to keep up with any news having to do with Luray, Kansas, and loved the sunflower - the Kansas State flower. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, 4-wheeling, camping, gardening, huckleberry picking, pickle making, playing Ping-pong and garage saling. He enjoyed the companionship of dogs all through his life. His dog, Shiloh, is mourning his loss at home.
He is survived by his wife of the family home; his children, Dave, Jr., and his wife Tina of Blaine, Wash., Steve of Grangeville and Kooskia; and Lorie Palmer and husband Valor Russell of Grangeville; and four gandchildren, Justin Palmer of Blaine; Brianna Palmer, Avery Russell and Hailey Russell, all of Grangeville. He is also survived by a brother, Roy W. Cooper, Jr., "Sam" of Rathdrum.
He was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother Toni Palmer of Luray,
stepfather Roy W. Cooper, Sr. of Kellogg, a sister, Donna Jean Smith of
Chino, Calif., and a brother, Russell Jay Palmer of Kellogg.
Funeral services are set for Saturday, April 22, 1 p.m., at the Grangeville
Church of the Nazarene with Pastor Rick Jorgensen officiating. Burial will
take place at Prairie View Cemetery in Grangeville. Friends may call Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Blackmer Funeral Home, Grangeville.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorials be made to the Grangeville
Church of the Nazarene Church library, Gideons International, Disabled
American Veterans or Animal Ark. Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville is in charge of the arrangements. Log onto www.Blackmerfuneralhome.com to send condolences.
He was born June 12, 1936, in Luray, Kansas, to Russell J. Palmer and Loretta Shull Palmer. He was born at Ella Tate's house, delivered by Dr. Drehere, as the family dog, Skippy, waited under the bed.
He attended Luray schools through the ninth grade where he excelled in basketball. Saturday nights he and his childhood friends would attend outside movies on the corner of Main Street in a vacant lot. The free
movies, which were sponsored by local business owners, were usually westerns. He and his mother, stepfather, and brother migrated west in the back of a truck, traveling with his cousin and family, June 12, 1951. They settled in Page and then later moved to Kellogg. He attended his last three years of high school there, graduating with the Kellogg High class of 1954. Between his junior and senior years of high school he was employed by the U.S. Forest Service. He joined the United States Air Force following graduation and was stationed
at Mississippi and McChord Air Force Base in Tacoma, Wash. He met his future wife in Kellogg at a mutual friend's wedding. He married Estella Arlene Faurot June 28, 1958, at the Church of the Nazarene in
Spokane, Wash. They made their home in Tacoma near McChord AFB. Here, their first child, a son, David Lee Palmer, Jr., was born, April 11, 1959. During his 20 years in the service, he was stationed in Puntzi Mountain,
British Columbia, West Central Canada; Cottonwood Air Force Station (Idaho); Blaine, Wash.; Richards Gabhour AFB in Missouri; and then back to Blaine. A second son, Steven W. Palmer, was born at Grangeville, Idaho, Nov. 26, 1961, while they were stationed in Cottonwood. He volunteered to serve in Vietnam in 1968. He was stationed at Monkey Mountain near Danang for one year. Upon his return home he met for the first
time his 8-1/2 month old daughter Lorie Fae. She had always been afraid of men but her mother said she went right to her father as soon as his plane touched down and he walked into the Sea-Tac Airport terminal in Seattle.
He retired as a Technical Sargeant in 1975 as a radar technician at Blaine AFB. He received the commendation medal twice as well as the Bronze Star while in Vietnam. The family settled in Custer, Wash., three miles from the Canadian border. He then attended appliance repair school at Bellingham Vo-Tech. Upon completion he worked for Parberry's Appliance Repair Store for several years before he went into business for himself, Dave's Appliance Repair. In 1992, he and his wife moved to Grangeville where they resided until his death.
He was a member of the Lynden Church of the Nazarene in Lynden, Wash., until he transferred membership to the Grangeville Church of the Nazarene. He was an avid college sports fan, especially basketball, and was a Kansas Jayhawk fanatic. He also liked to keep up with any news having to do with Luray, Kansas, and loved the sunflower - the Kansas State flower. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, 4-wheeling, camping, gardening, huckleberry picking, pickle making, playing Ping-pong and garage saling. He enjoyed the companionship of dogs all through his life. His dog, Shiloh, is mourning his loss at home.
He is survived by his wife of the family home; his children, Dave, Jr., and his wife Tina of Blaine, Wash., Steve of Grangeville and Kooskia; and Lorie Palmer and husband Valor Russell of Grangeville; and four gandchildren, Justin Palmer of Blaine; Brianna Palmer, Avery Russell and Hailey Russell, all of Grangeville. He is also survived by a brother, Roy W. Cooper, Jr., "Sam" of Rathdrum.
He was preceded in death by his parents, stepmother Toni Palmer of Luray,
stepfather Roy W. Cooper, Sr. of Kellogg, a sister, Donna Jean Smith of
Chino, Calif., and a brother, Russell Jay Palmer of Kellogg.
Funeral services are set for Saturday, April 22, 1 p.m., at the Grangeville
Church of the Nazarene with Pastor Rick Jorgensen officiating. Burial will
take place at Prairie View Cemetery in Grangeville. Friends may call Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 p.m. at the Blackmer Funeral Home, Grangeville.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggest memorials be made to the Grangeville
Church of the Nazarene Church library, Gideons International, Disabled
American Veterans or Animal Ark. Blackmer Funeral Home in Grangeville is in charge of the arrangements. Log onto www.Blackmerfuneralhome.com to send condolences.
