Arlo Kirk Palmer

Arlo Kirk Palmer, was born 10 June, 1930 in Alton, UT. He was the sixth child of Jesse Milo Palmer Jr. and Ella Heaton. The family moved to Arizona for a short time two years after he was born. He then had two more brothers born after they got back to Alton.

When Arlo was about 4 years old he contracted Polio. He couldn’t hold his ankle straight and walked on the side of his right foot. During his first year of school he was taken to Salt Lake City for an operation. He told the story of being in a cast and his father and older brothers made him a very crude wheelchair. It didn’t slow him down much. During his early school years he played softball, soccer, and steal the flag during recess.

Arlo and his siblings had chores to do like, hoeing weeds, milking cows, and plowing fields. And he even learned how to fix things. As he got older the family was responsible for the custodial care of the church and the school. He remembered one cold morning they went to start the fire in the school house. The fire had gone out and they arrived to a cold smoke filled school. As a teenager he also did odd jobs like mending fences, digging ditches, and checking on cattle in the mountains.

During June of 1942 Arlo was isolated from his siblings that had the measles. His brother Vance died due to complications of the measles. The family was afraid that if Arlo contracted the measles that it would effect his foot. He was blessed and did not get the measles. During this time he was ordained a Deacon in the Aronic Priesthood by his father.

When Arlo was 14 years old he lost his father to cancer of the stomach. He said his dad was a very stern man, but also very fair. He learned to be a hard worker from his dad.

On his 12th birthday his sister, Amanda, gave him a tennis racket. So the next year he started playing tennis in school. By his Junior year he was the Valley High Schools #1 singles player. He also played some basketball and football in high school.

Upon graduating from high school Arlo received a small scholarship to Utah State Agricultural College in Logan, UT. He graduated with a degree in Industrial Technology with a major in Automotive Technology and a minor in Accounting. During his senior year the Boeing Airplane Company sent recruiters to the college. He didn’t get an interview, but he did fill out an application. He received a letter telling him that he had a job if he wanted it. He started working for Boeing on June 18, 1952 with a salary of $301/month. To him that was a lot of money.

Arlo stayed active in church and his first calling was a counselor in the Seattle Fourth Ward YMMIA program. He shortly there after became the superintendent. At the time they would have their meetings just before the dances. It was at one of those dances that he met LaRay Lewis.

On LaRay’s birthday in 1953 he asked her to marry him and of course she said yes. They got married in the Manti Temple on June 21, 1954, because he had seen it once before and thought it was pretty.

In March 1956 the children began to arrive. First was Shirlene on March 6, 1956, Sally on July 19, 1957, Arlo Ray on October 27, 1958, and Wade on March 23, 1960.

Arlo, or Kirk, as he became to be known after Arlo Ray was born, worked at Boeing from 1952 until his retirement in June 1995 except for the 6 months he was laid off. He worked on the 707 Structural Design, Minuteman Missile Project, and the AWAC structural design to name just a few of the projects he was involved with. While working for Boeing he also did some traveling to Wichita, KS, Ft Walton Beach, FL, Oklahoma City, OK, Kingman, AZ, Los Angeles, CA, and two trips to Germany and one to France.

Arlo enjoyed sports. Even with a limp from the polio he still participated. He listed in his life history an event he thought memorable in 1983. It was a championship softball game where he was pitching. There were two runners on base and the third hit a line drive to him. He then got the runner going to second out and the batter at first base. But even better in the same game he remembered a time when he was on third base, Wade was on second base, and Arlo was up to bat. Arlo was walked putting a Palmer on all three bases.

Arlo held many church callings from YMMIA, Genealogy Committee, Seattle Stake Missionary, counselor to two bishops, and then Bishop of the Renton Fourth Ward in May 1970. He was released a year later when he was laid off and looking for work. He has also served as Ward Librarian, and taught Sunday School and Priesthood classes.

Arlo and LaRay served a Family History Mission in Salt Lake City from Nov. 1996 to May 1998. They also took an Alaska cruise and a Church History trip.

Arlo and LaRay have 4 children, 14 grandchildren, and 13 great-grandchildren with three more on the way this year. He was preceded in death by his parents and all of his older siblings. His younger brothers, Don and Orval are still living. We was loved by all and will be missed.