Obituary of A.R. Palmer

Aldus Richard �Sam� Palmer, age 91, of Gravois Mills, Missouri, passed away Sunday, October 23, 2011 at his home in Gravois Mills. He was born April 15, 1920 in Columbia, Missouri, one of 5 children born to Richard E. and Ruth R (Harner) Palmer. Sam grew up in Columbia and graduated from David H. Hickman High School in 1938. He was married to Elizabeth Jones while serving in the Navy and they divorced sometime in the 60�s. He enlisted in the Navy, and served from 1942 through 1945 on the USS Deuel as a Shipman�s 1st Mate and Carpenters Mate. He was one of the sailors who made repairs to the ships and the docks. He was at Iwo Jima and while there he built the ramps that allowed the wounded soldiers to be transported onto the ships to be sent home. He also was at Okinawa, Philippines, and Guam. The USS Deuel was one of the ships guarding the USS Missouri in 1945 when the signing of the surrender took place. He worked for John Epple Construction Company. He also worked with John Adams Construction Company in West Plains, MO from 1954 through 1960. He later went to work for the J. E. Hathman Construction Company where he retired from. He was a Life member of the Carpenters Union Local 1925. He married Evelyn Plattner in 1968, who preceded him in death in 2009. Sam was raised in the Mt Zion Masonic Lodge of West Plains, MO in 1957. He received his 50 year Masonic pin in 2007. He was a member of Aleppo Grotto and VFW Post 280 in Columbia MO. Sam is survived by Jack Cannon, of Ormond Beach, FL, Jim and Linda Cannon, of Overland Park, KS and Joe and Florence Cannon, of Mandeville, LA; his sister Mavis Thomas of Eugene, Oregon; six grandchildren and eleven great-grandchildren, along with several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by two brothers, Rienzo H. and Waldo E Palmer and one sister, Aurevia M Eaton.