Thomas Richard (Dick) Palmer, age 95, passed away on September 27, 2016 at his family’s home in Austin, TX. He was born August 24, 1921 in Indianapolis, IN to Walter James Palmer and Mary Evangeline Fee. He was preceded in death by his parents, his brother, John Fee Palmer, and his loving wife of 69 years, Mildred Orr Palmer.
He is survived by his daughter, Mary Janet Chapman (Joel) of Austin, his son, James Richard Palmer (Kit) of Florence, KY and his granddaughter, Andrea Jane McDonald (Brian) of Austin.
Dick received his diploma from Arsenal Technical High School in Indianapolis in 1939. After studying business administration, he graduated from Miami University of Ohio in 1943. He and Mildred (Midge) married on November 26, 1943 while he was undergoing pilot training for the U.S. Army Air Corps. As a Second Lieutenant he flew B-25 bombers and became a flight instructor in Enid, OK and San Antonio, TX for the duration of WWII.
After his discharge in November, 1945, Dick and Midge returned to Indiana where he began training as an insurance adjuster for Western Adjustment and Inspection Company, which later became General Adjustment Bureau (GAB). He worked as an adjuster in Muncie and Marion, IN before being promoted in 1955 to office manager in Davenport, IA. In 1960 he transferred to Anderson, IN where he managed the GAB Business Services office for 22 years prior to retirement in 1982. His hobbies included carpentry and furniture making. Soon after moving to Anderson, he and his wife built their summer cottage in Michigan. They were long time members of the First Presbyterian Church in Anderson where he served as an elder and a trustee.
During their retirement years, Dick and Midge traveled extensively and spent winter months in Hawaii and Orange Beach, AL as well as summers in Michigan. They enjoyed bird watching and outdoor photography. Dick was a member of the Muncie Camera Club and won awards for landscape photos, which he printed at home in his color lab. Following Midge’s death in 2013, he lived in Austin and attended Redeemer Presbyterian Church. He continued to enjoy trips to join family and friend in Indiana, Kentucky and Michigan.
Services will be held at the Rozelle-Johnson Funeral Service on Thursday, October 6 at 11 am with the Rev. Kevin Bausman officiating. Visitation will be the same morning beginning at 10:00 am. Burial will be at 2:30pm in Kingston Cemetery with Military graveside rites.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that any memorial gifts be given to the First Presbyterian Church.
Post online condolences at www.rozelle-johnson.com.