Nancy Mae Palmer

Nancy Mae Palmer left this earth and joined Jesus on Thursday, November 2, 2023. She was born in Tishomingo, Oklahoma on June 17th, 1936. Born to Jesse James and Ella Claire Gaddy, she had one brother, James Gaddy, and two sisters, Betty Jordan, and Patty Littlefield. She married her high school sweetheart, Jarvis Palmer, on June 30th, 1953, in a drive through wedding chapel in Yuma, Arizona. They followed their wedding with a shared grilled cheese and milkshake to celebrate their union. They were married 69+ years before Jarvis passed away in October 2022. They have three children, Michael W. Palmer (wife Anna), Mark A. Palmer (wife June) and Micki Palmer Blair (husband Greg). In Jarvis’s words, they also had “a bunch of grandkids and even more great grandkids!”

She graduated second in her class from Dalhart High School in Dalhart, Texas in 1954. She and Jarvis were married right before he shipped out to Korea in 1953 and she went back to Texas to finish high school. She loved Jesus and accepted him as her Savior at a young age. Her life work was her family. She taught Sunday School for over 50 years, and mentored young moms for many years. She retired from AT&T in 1989 at the age of 53, which allowed her to spend summers with her grandkids, transporting them in her red minivan to baseball, softball, and a weekly stop at McDonald’s and a movie.

She will be remembered for her incredible hospitality. She and Jarvis were known for opening their home to new friends, dear friends, and anyone who needed a meal or a place to spend a holiday. She and Jarvis hosted a yearly 4th of July picnic that often saw 100+ people attending. She loved the Seattle Mariners and Spring Training. She enjoyed spending her time making baby blankets, gardening, canning, and studying her Bible. She kept many prayer journals over the years. She and Jarvis ate ice cream together every day at 3:00.

A memorial service will be held on Monday, November 13, 2023, at 3:00 at Alsip and Persons Funeral Chapel (404 10 th Avenue South, Nampa, Idaho 83651).

In lieu of flowers please send a memorial gift to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (1 Billy Graham Parkway, Charlotte, NC, 28201).

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