Marilyn Palmer went to heaven to join David her beloved husband on August 11, 2019, their 65th wedding anniversary. Marilyn was born to Pauline and Wayman Wheeler on May 28, 1930 in Canton, Illinois. She was preceded in death by her husband David Palmer, her brother Donald Wheeler and son Keith Palmer. She is survived by her sister-in-law Karen Wheeler, four of her children Debra Knoll and husband Darrell Knoll, Roberta Mesquita and husband Mike Mesquita Sr., Mark Palmer and wife Sadie Palmer, Mary Beth Gonzales and daughter-in-law Joan Rentas. Grandchildren Arthur Knoll, Lynn LaBriola and husband Tom LaBriola, Kirsten Knoll-Carlson Holles and husband Joe Holles, Dana Knoll Purpura and husband Scott Purpura, Casey James Palmer, Michael Mesquita Jr., Kristina Bowen and husband Ryan Bowen, James Mesquita, Ana Padilla, Leandra Eaker and husband Roman Eaker, Ashley Montoya and partner Joey Recinetti, Victoria Gonzales and husband Frank Aragon, Fred Gonzales III, Angel Gonzales, Nuveldy Andino and husband Kenric Andino, Desiree Garcia Fontanez and husband Ramon Garcia, Peter Torres and Shantay Torres. Great Grandchildren Dominic LaBriola, Stella LaBriola, Giovanni LaBriola, Sarah Holles, Sydney Holles, Kyle Purpura, Christian Purpura, Gemma Quinn Palmer, Ian David Palmer, Ryan Bowen, Jaxson Bowen, Lincoln Bowen, Terra Torres, Tobbi Torres, Tatum Torres, Amaya Eaker, Roman Eaker, Joshua Montoya, Michael Recinetti, Jolia Padilla, Amadeo Morales, P.J Aragon, Shenelty Ortiz, Darius Andino, Kenric Andino Jr., Raul Andino, Andriana Garcia, Zohelis Garcia, Tate Torres and many nieces and nephews.
Marilyn loved to travel and made several trips around the country with her girlfriends. Marilyn worked for the telephone company in Champaign/Urbana Illinois and Great Lakes, Illinois. Marilyn decided she wanted an adventure, so she asked for a transfer. She ended up in Albuquerque, NM in 1953. She lived at the YWCA when she first came to town. She attended UNM studying education. Marilyn met Anne Palmer while working at the telephone company. Anne and Marilyn went to a Dude Ranch in Northern New Mexico one weekend. Anne asked her brother David and his friend Phillip Wayne Walraven to drive up and pick them up. That is how Marilyn and her future husband met. Anne Palmer and Phillip Wayne Walraven married on August 10, 1954. Marilyn and David married on August 11, 1954.
Marilyn and David moved their growing family to Seward, Alaska in 1959, where they were house parents at Jesse Lee Children’s Home. They moved back to Albuquerque in 1960.
Marilyn took a hiatus from work and school to raise her five children. Marilyn had a passion for learning and reading. She felt it was very important that everyone should have access to libraries, especially children. Sometime in 1964-1965 Marilyn convinced Atrisco Elementary School in Albuquerque’s south valley that they needed a library. She and several other parents started setting up the first library at Atrisco in an unused classroom. A couple years later the school completed a library space where Marilyn and other parents moved the library to. Marilyn ran the library until the school found the money to pay for a librarian at which time she volunteered until she went back to work.
After her youngest started school Marilyn returned to work. She worked at J.C. Penney in downtown Albuquerque a couple of years until she went back to work at the phone company. While working at the phone company Marilyn went back to the University of New Mexico. Marilyn received her degree in 1986 with a concentration in library science. After she retired from AT&T, she went to work for the Bernalillo County Libraries. Marilyn’s favorite part of her library work was helping people find the books and information they were looking for. She loved researching things.
Another of Marilyn’s passions was helping the less fortunate. She spent numerous volunteer hours at South Albuquerque Cooperative Ministry (SACM) Food Pantry, providing food and ministering to many families.
Memorial Service will be held on August 31, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. The service will be held at Cornerstone United Methodist Church (formerly St. Andrews United Methodist Church) 3905 Las Vegas Drive S.W Albuquerque, NM 87105
In lieu of flowers the family would like donations made to Roadrunner Food Bank in Marilyn’s name.
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