Mildred Orr Palmer passed away on March 14, 2013 at home. She was born
August 26, 1921 in St. Joseph, Missouri to Richard Sedgwick Orr and Mary
Yarger Orr. She was preceded in death by her parents and her brother,
Louis Yarger Orr. She is survived by her loving husband of 69 years,
Thomas Richard Palmer, and their children: James Richard Palmer (Kit) of
Florence, Kentucky, and Mary Janet Chapman (Joel) of Austin, Texas.
Also surviving are her granddaughter, Andrea Jane McDonald (Brian), of
Bastrop, Texas, nephew, Richard Orr (Sharon), and niece, Georgeanne
Harris, of Shawnee Mission, Kansas.
Mildred, known to her friends as Midge, received her diploma from
Shortridge High School in Indianapolis in 1938. After studying social
services and vocal music, she graduated magna cum laude from Western
College of Oxford, Ohio in 1942. She and her husband, Dick, married
November 26, 1943 while he was undergoing pilot training for the U.S.
Army Air Force. Prior to marriage she had lived in Wichita, Kansas,
Indianapolis, and LaCrosse Wisconsin. Together, she and her husband had
lived in Enid Oklahoma, San Antonio, Texas, Muncie and Marion, Indiana,
and Davenport, Iowa. They moved to Anderson in 1960, and became members
of the First Presbyterian Church. Mildred's daily life demonstrated her
strong Christian faith.
During their early years together, Mildred devoted herself to creating a
loving home for her husband and children while the family moved to
various
communities in support of Dick's career. After locating in Anderson, she
began her career as a social worker. She served as Supervisor of Child
Welfare for the Madison County Department of Public Welfare from 1963
through 1978.
After retirement, Mildred and Dick traveled extensively and spent winter
months in Hawaii and Orange Beach, Alabama each year. Mildred enjoyed
reading biography and watching birds wherever she traveled. She pursued
painting with watercolors and photography with an appreciation for beauty
in nature.
The family wishes to extend a special thank you to the staff of St.
John's Hospice.
The funeral services will be on Tuesday, March 19, 2013 at 10:30am at the
First Presbyterian Church with Rev. Ryan Rasmussen and Pastor Donna
Madewell officiating. A burial will take place in Kingston Cemetery at
2:00pm.
The visitation will be from 4:00-6:00pm on Monday, March 18, 2013 at
Rozelle-Johnson Funeral Service.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests any memorial gifts be given to
The First Presbyterian Church.
Post online condolences at www.rozelle-johnson.com.