Leonard Palmer

Maggie Valley-Col. Leonard Neil Palmer (USAF Ret.), age 92, of 142 Blueberry Lane, died on Thursday, September 21, 2006 at his residence. A native of Council Bluffs, Iowa, he was a former resident of Cocoa Beach, FL and had resided in Haywood County for the past 16 years. He was the son of the late Leonard Lee and Anna Morey Palmer and was also preceded in death by his wife of 66 years, Eleanor Damon Palmer, who died in 2005; and three brothers, Morey, Mac, and Cliff Palmer. He received his degree and commission in the Army Air Corps from the US Military Academy at West Pont, NY and an advanced degree from the University of Michigan. He was a retired Colonel, with a career that spanned 30 years. Following his military career, he worked for NASA from 1968 - 1983. Leonard enjoyed traveling, fishing, reading, and amateur radio and was a member of Maggie Valley United Methodist Church. He is survived by two sons, Daniel L. Palmer and his wife, Mona, of Clinton Township, MI and Leonard E. Palmer and his wife, Beverly, of Elm City, NC; three brothers-in-law, Richard Damon of Bozeman, MT, John Damon of Alexandria, VA, and Harle Damon of Rolling Hill Estates, CA; three grandchildren, Becky Hayes and Jacob and Kelsey Palmer; and two great grandchildren, Travis and Tara Theut. Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, September 25, 2006 at Maggie Valley United Methodist Church with Reverend Jeremy Troxler officiating. Burial will follow at Green Hill Cemetery with military graveside rites being conducted by Shaw Air Force Base Honor Guard. The family will receive friends one hour prior to services at the church. Memorials may be made to Haywood Regional Medical Center Hospice, 560 Leroy George Drive, Clyde, NC 28721 or US Military Academy, West Point, NY 10996.

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