Obituary of Jeanne M. Palmer

Jeanne Annette Miller Palmer was born on June 25, 1923 in Utica, NY to Maybelle and Ralph Miller.  The family relocated to Delmar when Jeanne was a girl, and she spent her entire lifetime in the area.  After graduating from Bethlehem Central High School, she attended the State University at Plattsburgh and the University at Albany earning bachelors and masters degrees in teaching.  She began a career teaching home economics at several schools, with the majority of her 40 years in education spent at Troy High School, retiring in 1986.   

She married Harry Palmer in 1946, a union that would last almost 50 years, ending only with Harry's passing in 1995.  She was a working mother, at a time many moms chose to remain at home, to her sons Gary (Barbara), Glenn (Merlyn) and Keith, who predeceased her.   In addition to her full time job, she enjoyed many hobbies which capitalized on her talents: cooking, sewing, crafting, gardening, and boating and  camping with her boys on Lake George. Of course family life included all of the sports her active boys, both sons and then her grandsons, participated in.  She was a devout Christian, and with her husband Harry was one of the founding members of the Bethlehem Community Church.  Her involvement with the church in many capacities continued until her death. 

Jeanne lived a modest lifestyle, strong in her faith and always considering the needs of others before her own.  She touched many, many lives in her 95 years beyond her family: in her classroom, at her church, as a weekend group home houseparent, and later in life with her lunch groups and Bible study get togethers.  She was a voracious reader,  with her amazing eyesight (and hearing!) lasting well past others many years younger than she.  She was also an amateur genealogist, compiling extensive records on her and Harry's families that go back many generations. 

Even as she became more frail in her later years, she always enjoyed visits and holidays with family members, her grandchildren and great grandchildren.  In addition to her sons and their wives, she is survived by her grandchildren Geoff Palmer (Elizabeth), Greg Palmer (Amy) , Jamie Hurst (Chad) , and Glenn Palmer Jr.  She leaves 8 great grandchildren and her cat, Boots. She also cherished her special friends, Sue Gregory and Debbie Fish, who were always there for her, right to the end. 

Jeanne's family is especially grateful to the staff at the A wing at the Grand in Guilderland, who treated Jeanne with such kindness and compassion during her final four months.  In Jeanne's own words, she was tired, and wanted to go home, to glory with Jesus. 

On March 31, 2019 she simply closed her eyes, peacefully, and left us. During her 95 year journey she touched so many people in so many ways, leaving each better in some way for having known Jeanne. 

Jeanne requested that we not mourn her, because she is home where she is no longer ill or tired.  A celebration of her life will be held at the Bethlehem Community Church on Elm Avenue in Delmar on Thursday, July 11 at 5:30 PM.